


Love & Basketball: The Wayhaught Remix

by ashbash13



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst and Feels, Athlete Nicole Haught, Bisexual Waverly Earp, Coach Waverly Earp, Coach/Player Relationship, Did I mention angst, Eventual Smut, F/F, Lesbian Nicole Haught, Nicole Haught Backstory, Slow Burn Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, Waverly's Abs, Wayhaught - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:00:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 32,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23796553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashbash13/pseuds/ashbash13
Summary: Waverly Earp is an Assistant Coach for the women's basketball team at the University of Virginia Tech.Nicole Haught is a senior transfer to the Virginia Tech program and one of the country's best WNBA prospects.The college sports AU that literally no one asked me to write, but I'm doing it anyway because Wayhaught forever. (If you're not a huge sports fan, you'll still love this one, I promise!)
Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught
Comments: 161
Kudos: 580





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to a new world of Wayhaught that has been spinning in my brain for a few weeks now! I hope you all like this one, and as always please let me know your thoughts in the comments.
> 
> Disclaimer: I set this story at the real college called Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. For those of you who are (or aren't) familiar with the school, their real-life mascot is called a "Hokie", but I decided to change it to Knights here so that people wouldn't get confused by the odd mascot name lol. If you're interested, google photos of the campus and Cassell Coliseum, the college's real basketball venue, and check it out - it's gorgeous! 
> 
> Now let's get this story started... :)

Waverly Earp parked in the mostly empty parking lot and walked into Cassell Coliseum. It was 8:45am in early August, and the heavy Virginia humidity was already thick in the air. She was grateful for the blast of air conditioning as she entered the building. Automatic lights flickered to life overhead as she walked through deserted hallways, the clack of her heels echoing on the polished linoleum as she went.

Waverly turned left down a hallway leading towards the coliseum’s center, and a few more steps brought her out onto the dark basketball court. She traced a familiar path along a side wall, feeling her way in the dark until her hand brushed the electrical panel. She opened the panel and found the lever she sought, flipping it up in a swift motion and hearing the familiar buzz of the coliseum lights coming to life. Waverly grinned at the familiarity of her favorite morning ritual.

She turned to take in the now fully lit court, the lights gleaming on the shiny surface. The wood floor had been refinished just the day before, in preparation for the Knights’ upcoming season. It was going to be a great year, Waverly was sure of it. She checked her watch and smiled. Time to get to work. 

****

Waverly dropped her purse on her desk before entering the small conference room the coaching staff used for their daily meetings. The room was on an upper level of the coliseum and overlooked the court below, which was lit up brightly thanks to Waverly’s morning routine.

She set her steaming thermos of tea on the table and sat across from Julie Davis, Head Coach of the Virginia Tech Knights for the past decade, and Waverly’s former coach and now boss for the past 3 years since she’d graduated.

Julie sported dark jeans and a black polo with the university’s maroon and orange logo stitched to the left side. The look was business casual by Julie’s standards, given she spent 98% of her days in tennis shoes and sweats while the season was underway. Waverly knew from experience the only time Julie would wear anything nicer than jeans would be on the team’s many game days or for press conferences.

Julie was scribbling notes onto a pad of paper when Waverly entered.

“Earp,” she acknowledged with a nod and wide smile, finishing her note and leaning back in her chair to focus on her Assistant Coach.

Waverly returned the smile and settled in for their staff meeting.

“Morning, Coach. You’re in a chipper mood,” she remarked, raising her eyebrows in a silent question.

“What can I say? It’s a great day to be a Virginia Tech Knight,” Julie said with a grin. “We’ve got one of the best players in the country joining our team, get hype Earp!”

The sparkle in Julie’s blue eyes was contagious, and Waverly grinned in response. Waverly knew this season would be different for their program, which is exactly what the coaching staff were meeting to discuss this morning.

Waverly’s thoughts were interrupted as weightlifting & conditioning coach Shonda Jeffries entered the room, carrying her usual breakfast of a large green protein shake. Shonda was 6’2” and had been one of the best center forwards in the WNBA in her day, and the Knights were lucky to have had her on their staff for the past six years. Last year’s team had started calling her “Jeffy”, and the nickname had stuck even with most of the coaching staff.

She fell into a chair with a yawn and took a large gulp of her shake before speaking.

“So, what’s the deal with Haught? Do we know any specifics on her old training regimen or where she’s at physically?”

Julie held up a hand to interrupt before Jeffy could get on a roll.

“Let’s wait for Justin to join us,” Julie said. “I want him to record our notes, and he’s got all of Haught’s stats printed for us.”

As if the mention of his name had summoned him, a frazzled looking Justin Chambers burst into the room, his hands full of a disorderly stack of papers.

“Sorry I’m late, boss,” he said, dropping the papers onto the table and pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Justin was in his late 20s and had been the team’s manager and Julie’s assistant since he’d been a freshman at the university. He was a great asset to the team, and he was also the clumsiest adult man Waverly had ever met, a trait she found both endearing and hilarious.

“Not a problem, Justin,” Julie said. “First meeting of the new season and all that,” she said, waving a hand dismissively. “Now, Jeffy wants to know-“

Justin was already rifling through the papers in front of him, slipping the ones he sought out of the stack with a flourish before Julie finished her sentence. Waverly watched in amusement as Jeffy raised her eyebrows in surprise before taking the papers Justin was offering her. There was no doubt Justin and Julie were a well-oiled machine.

Jeffy scanned the stats in front of her, nodding here and there as she read, her face registering pleased surprise as she took in certain notes.

“Well, looks like Haught is more than solid in the lifting and conditioning department, so that’s fantastic. I table all further concerns,” Jeffy said to the group, reaching for her protein shake once again.

Julie chuckled and nodded her agreement. “Ok, so let’s dive right in then.”

She glanced at Justin, who was already logging into the conference room’s computer and opening a file titled “Haught, Nicole_Guard” on his desktop. He projected his view onto the large display screen so that all of the coaches could read the file easily.

Waverly scanned over the enlarged page as Julie began speaking.

_Nicole Haught, senior, 22 years old, 5’8”, shooting guard_

_Hometown: Roanoke, Virginia_

_High School: Roanoke High School_

_Previous University: University of Connecticut, 3-year starter_

_Points per game: 24_

_Rebounds per game: 6_

_Steals per game: 5_

_…_

There was a small photo of Nicole in the upper right corner of the document, and the face matched that of the one Waverly had seen in televised games countless times. Shoulder-length red hair, brown eyes, long thin face, a slight smile as she focused her gaze on the camera. She looked confident, sure of herself, and Waverly wondered idly whether the photo did her unique features justice. She supposed she’d find out soon enough.

Waverly brought her focus back to Julie’s voice when she heard her name.

“I’m sorry, I missed that Coach,” she said.

Julie spoke again. “I said, as a shooting guard, Haught will be your responsibility. I’m putting it on you to get her acclimated and up to speed as quickly as possible.”

“Got it,” Waverly said, hoping she sounded more confident than she suddenly felt.

The Knights’ newest guard, Nicole Haught, was a transfer from the renowned UConn program, arguably the best women’s college basketball program in the country. She averaged over 20 points per game and was expected to be one of the biggest WNBA draft prospects next year.

The pressure Waverly was under to maximize Haught’s talents for her new team was not lost on her, and as one of the newest and youngest Assistant Coaches in the league, she knew a lot of eyes at the university would be on her expecting her to pull through. The Knights’ season and future recruiting prospects could very well depend on it.

“Do we know why Nicole decided to transfer here, especially given it’s her senior year and her last season before she’s expected to enter the draft?” Waverly asked.

The move was certainly a surprise and had sent shock waves through the collegiate basketball community last spring. Nicole Haught was consistently on ESPNs Top 10 highlights of the week – she was somewhat of a celebrity in the college circuit, and players like her didn’t just leave the University of Connecticut, especially to transfer to the much lower ranked and lower profile Virginia Tech.

A strange look that Waverly couldn’t decipher passed over Julie’s face before she responded.

“All I can say is that Haught chose to transfer here for personal reasons, and I told her I would keep those reasons confidential, unless she chooses to share them herself at a later time.”

_Well. Okay then,_ Waverly thought, curiosity now piqued.

“Understood,” she replied.

Jeffy cut in. “You’ve got her living with Sherman, right?”

Sara Sherman, the team’s junior point guard, was also one of the players who fell under Waverly’s direction. As a former point guard herself, Waverly oversaw the position-specific coaching for all of the team’s guard players, which would now include Nicole Haught, the most talented player Waverly would have the opportunity to coach in her career to date.

“Yes,” Julie answered. “Since Decker graduated last year, Sherman had an open room in her apartment, and I figured she’d be a good fit to help Haught acclimate given she’s our on-floor Captain and the team’s natural leader. Plus, it’s not like Haught bunking with Phillips would have been ideal…” Julie trailed off, her mouth setting in a rare grim line.

_Oh, crap. Phillips,_ Waverly picked up on Julie’s train of thought.

Jocie Phillips was a sophomore and the team’s current 2-guard. Nicole coming on board meant that Jocie would likely be losing her starting position on the team’s roster. Given her infamous attitude problem, she wasn’t likely to take the news well.

“How do you propose I handle that dynamic?” Waverly asked Julie.

Jeffy snorted. “With a quick duck when Phillips starts throwing shit in a rage,” she commented.

“Not helpful, Shonda,” Julie said. She gathered her thoughts before answering Waverly’s question. “Look, sports are about competition. These young women are athletes, and they know that they’re competing for time on the court every year, there are no handouts here. Haught will have to earn a starting spot just like everyone else, and assuming she does so given her talent, then my hope is she can push Phillips to be better, strive to improve. Your job, Earp, is to manage the drama and the attitudes, you know I hate all of that crap. It’s ultimately my call who plays and who doesn’t, and if Phillips has any issues you can send her to me.”

Waverly nodded her agreement as her leg bounced with nervous excitement. The season was really kicking off, and she couldn’t wait to see what Nicole Haught would bring to the team. This year could change everything.


	2. Chapter 2

Nicole Haught’s phone alarm started chirping loudly, signaling it was time to head to the coliseum. Today was her first meeting and workout with her new team, and to say she felt nervous was the understatement of the century. She pulled a well-worn pair of sweats over her basketball shorts and slid her feet into her Nike slides, grabbing her backpack from her bedroom floor and slinging it over her shoulder as she headed for the door. 

She heard her roommate and now teammate, Sara Sherman, rummaging through her room on the other side of the two-bedroom apartment.

“I’m heading out,” Nicole called to her, “I’ll see you over there.”

Sara poked her head around the door frame, her basketball shoes dangling from one hand and an empty backpack in the other.

“You sure you remember how to get there?” she asked. “I still need to grab a few more things.”

Nicole nodded her confirmation. She and Sara lived within walking distance of the coliseum, which was a welcome surprise to Nicole when she had moved into the apartment a few days earlier.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she said. “I just want to get there a little early and…get my bearings before everyone shows up.”

“Definitely,” Sara replied. “I’ll see you soon, text me if you get lost!” She ducked back into her room as Nicole headed out the front door.

Nicole felt lucky that Coach Davis had recommended Sara to be her roommate. Sara was a junior, which made her only a year younger than Nicole, and she was the team’s captain and point guard. Nicole had watched hours of taped game footage to familiarize herself with her new teammates, and she knew Sara had skills. She hoped the two of them would click as easily on the court as they had so far off of it. Sara had a boyfriend on the school’s track team, which meant she was absent from the apartment a lot of the time, but she had been nothing but welcoming to Nicole since her arrival. 

Nicole regretted her choice of sweatpants almost as soon as she stepped outside, the southern August heat and humidity causing her skin to break out in sweat almost immediately.

_You’re not in Connecticut anymore,_ she thought, pulling her hair up into a messy bun to keep the strands from sticking to her neck. Luckily, it was a short 5-minute walk to Cassell, and the coliseum’s air conditioning welcomed Nicole as soon as she walked through the team entrance at the basement level of the building.

She wound her way through a few hallways, passing a group of male athletes who must’ve been leaving one of the weight rooms. One of them did a double take as Nicole passed, and she heard a whispered “Dude, isn’t that Nicole Haught?” over her shoulder. She laughed under her breath and kept walking. The UConn students were much more accustomed to seeing high profile athletes on campus, so it’d been a while since Nicole had someone react that way to her presence.

She found the double doors marked with a Knights Women’s Basketball sign over the doorway and used the key Coach Davis had given her to access the area. The doors opened to a private hallway with various doors on each side, each leading to a different team area. Nicole had been in the team’s wing of the coliseum only once before, when she had visited campus and met with Coach Davis after announcing her intention to transfer after last year’s season ended.

She remembered the weight room was just beyond the first door on the right, but she was looking for the team’s locker room. She kept walking until she found the appropriately marked door, the room illuminating with automatic lights as she entered.

There was a plush maroon carpet covering the floor, and the outer walls of the room were lined with lockers, which were essentially tall wardrobes with a wooden door covering one half and open shelving on the other. Each player’s locker had a maroon and orange plaque embedded in the top, marking the woman’s name and number on her respective space in numerical order. In each open shelf space, a crisp white home jersey was hanging on display, awaiting the team’s first home game of the season and the first time the new uniforms would be worn.

Nicole’s eyes scanned the jerseys, stopping when they landed on the number 13, the number she had favored since her middle school years. Her locker was on the middle wall of the room since her number was in the middle of the numbers her teammates wore. She approached her designated space, lifting a hand to brush over the plaque with her name engraved on it and then lower to run the fabric of the jersey between her fingers.

There was a rustle behind her, and Nicole turned abruptly on her heel.

“What do you think?” Coach Julie Davis was leaning in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest, a wide smile stretching her face. She nodded towards Nicole’s locker to indicate the meaning of her question.

“It’s great,” Nicole answered, taking a final look over her shoulder at the jersey and the space that would be hers for the next year. “Colors are a little out there, but I knew that before I signed the paperwork,” she said with a small laugh.

The trademark Virginia Tech maroon and orange coloring was definitely a change from the blues and grays Nicole had been used to the past three years, but a uniform was a uniform as long as she was playing the sport she loved.

Coach Davis laughed and stepped away from the door, gesturing for Nicole to follow her. “We’re definitely a little different from UConn in both uniform and style, I’ll give you that,” she said, Nicole on her heels as they returned to the main hallway.

Nicole followed her past another door before her coach turned into the team’s main meeting room, which they apparently called The Castle in a play on words from the coliseum’s formal title. _Knights in a castle,_ clever, she thought.

The room was full of overlarge leather chairs set up in multiple rows, all facing a large projector screen where the players would watch game tape and break down their own performances as well as their opponents’. There was a large refrigerator in one corner and some cabinets along the back wall that Nicole remembered had been stocked with various snacks and protein bars on her first visit.

The walls were covered in framed photographs of varying ages, all depicting past players and coaches in the university’s basketball program. Some showed celebrations, the court covered in ecstatic fans and students after a big win. Others, surprising Nicole, showed players on their knees with heads bowed in apparent agony after a tough loss. One such photo stood out to Nicole, as she immediately recognized the blonde hair and blue eyes of her new coach, her hand on a short brunette’s shoulder as the two of them stared defeatedly at something behind the camera. The brunette was striking, Nicole thought, and she wondered what the two of them were looking at with such pained expressions.

“The Final Four, four years ago,” Coach Davis said quietly from behind Nicole. “Earp was our point guard and a senior that year, and that was the moment during the other team’s free throws when we realized there was no way we could win that game. I still remember that one like it was yesterday.”

“So do I.”

Nicole turned at the unfamiliar voice, eyes widening when she found herself looking at the brown haired woman from the picture, except now in present day and looking much more polished in skinny jeans and a maroon tank top, her hair falling around her shoulders in soft waves.

“Ah, glad you’re here, Earp. This is Nicole Haught, your new 2-guard. Nicole, this is my Assistant Coach and your position coach, Waverly Earp,” Coach Davis said, introducing them.

Nicole stepped closer to the woman and extended a hand for her to shake, realizing Waverly was about six inches shorter than her 5’8” frame.

“It’s nice to meet you Coach Earp,” Nicole said, giving Waverly’s much smaller hand a firm shake before letting go and stepping back.

“Nice to meet you, Nicole. We’re all really glad to have you here,” Waverly said. “And you can just call me Waves if you want, pretty much everyone does,” she said with a shrug.

_Waves,_ Nicole thought. It suited her. The woman had wavy hair for days and bright hazel eyes that Nicole had a hard time looking away from. _This season just got a lot more interesting._

Nicole turned away from Waverly, mainly to force her attention away from those eyes, her gaze landing back on the photo of her with Coach Davis.

“Can I ask why you keep such sad photos in here, and not just the celebratory ones?” Nicole directed the question at no one in particular, but she was surprised when Waverly answered first.

“I asked the same thing when I came here as a freshman. I still remember exactly what Coach told me. She said, ‘Life isn’t all wins and no losses. Nobody ever gets through it with an undefeated record, and it’s usually the defeats that teach us the most about ourselves.’”

Nicole looked at Coach Davis, finding herself impressed by the wise words and directness of the statement to one of her young players.

Coach Davis winked at her and shrugged. “I have my moments of brilliance,” she said, seeming to interpret the meaning behind Nicole’s look.

The comment earned a laugh from Waverly before she checked her watch. “I’m going to get changed, the rest of the girls should be here soon.” Her gaze landed on Nicole and the redhead found herself holding her breath. “It’s great to meet you, Nicole. I’m looking forward to seeing what you bring to the squad, and you’ll be seeing more than you’d like of me in practice. See you all in a few,” she said to both Nicole and Coach Davis, before sweeping out of the room in a blur of brown hair.

****

As her new teammates trickled into the room, Nicole found herself in one of the plush leather chairs towards the back of the room, waiting for their team meeting to start. Coach Davis had warned her that she’d be asking Nicole to say a few words to the team to introduce herself to them, and Nicole was wracking her brain trying to figure out what she should say.

Sara spotted her when she came in and sat in the chair next to Nicole, smiling around the half-eaten protein bar in her mouth.

“You ready for this?” Sara asked, observing their teammates chatting and laughing around the room as they waited for Coach Davis to kick off the meeting.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Nicole said, the butterflies in her stomach in overdrive as she watched Coach Davis approach the front of the room, followed by Waverly Earp who was now sporting black leggings and a bright blue Nike tanktop, her long hair pulled back into a loose ponytail.

_God help me,_ Nicole thought, her gaze meeting Waverly’s briefly as she scanned the room full of players before her. A large woman Nicole immediately recognized as Shonda Jeffries joined the other two coaches at the front of the room, as well as a small man in his 20s wearing hipster glasses, jeans and a university polo. The man stood off to the side, more in the background, while the coaching staff stood together at the front, a long table behind them running the length of the projector screen but low enough not to block it.

“Ok ladies, let’s settle down,” Coach Davis said, waiting a few seconds for the room to quiet down and all of the players to settle into chairs. “I hope you’re all as excited as I am to kick off this new season, and you better have all been doing your off-season conditioning or Jeffy is going to kick your asses in today’s workout.”

A snicker rippled around the room as Shonda, or “Jeffy” Nicole now realized, waggled her eyebrows at the group.

“Oh right, sorry Haught,” Coach Davis said, and Nicole felt all eyes in the room land on her. “Coach Jeffries is your strength and conditioning coach, but she’s a secret softy so don’t let her large stature and signature glare scare you,” she said with the twitch of a smirk on her lips.

“I’m terrifying and don’t any of you forget it,” Jeffy said with a mock-serious glare around the room.

A few of the girls covered their eyes and screamed in fake terror, earning a laugh from Sara at Nicole’s side.

“Welcome to the circus that is the Knights,” she whispered to Nicole, and Nicole felt herself relax for the first time in days.

The dynamic of the team seemed fun and light-hearted, which was a huge relief. You never really knew what you were walking into with a new group of athletes, but this one seemed to all click really well with each other.

“Well is she gonna say anything or what?”

_Or maybe not quite everyone._

The abrupt question came from a short, dark skinned woman in the front row, her hair buzzed short and her bare shoulders covered in tattoos from what Nicole could see from her seat in the back.

Sara rolled her eyes and gave Nicole an _Ignore her_ look, but Nicole felt the atmosphere immediately change in the room. She looked to Coach Davis, who sighed before speaking.

“Right, well with that I’ll let our newest addition, Nicole Haught, say a few words to introduce herself to you all,” she said, nodding for Nicole to proceed.

Nicole stood in front of her chair and shoved both hands in her sweatpant pockets before clearing her throat. “Uh yeah, hi everyone. I’m Nicole and I’ve been playing at UConn for the last three years but transferred this year to finish out my college career here. I’m from Virginia originally so it’s nice to be close to home again. I’m really happy to be at Tech and hope to get to know all of you a lot better both on and off the court this year. Um, that’s it I think, thanks again to Coach Davis for having me here,” she finished, sinking back into her seat and trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks.

The players went around the room and gave brief introductions, mainly which positions they played and what year they were in school. Nicole took note of the five who introduced themselves as the starting roster from the previous year.

First, there was her roommate Sara, who Nicole already knew was the starting point guard and team captain.

Next came a guard who couldn’t have been more than 5 feet tall, and Nicole recognized her from the game tapes she’d watched as Emery Jones. She was a senior this year and one of the fastest people Nicole had ever seen on the court. The tapes she’d watched had been full of steals by Emery finished off with breakaway layups, and Nicole knew she was also a WNBA draft prospect after this season, a rarity for the Knights. She was excited to see the woman’s speed in person and nodded her hello after Emery’s introduction.

A giant of a woman named Ashley McAllister introduced herself next. She spoke so quietly Nicole could barely hear her, but Sara whispered the highlights in her ear. She was 6’4” and the team’s power forward, a beast in the weight room but a giant teddy bear outside the gym who went by A-Mac, according to Sara.

The woman who had asked for Nicole to speak stood up next, meeting Nicole’s eyes with thinly disguised contempt and anger. “I’m Jocie Phillips, sophomore and starting 2-guard last year. I have no plans for that to change this year,” she finished with a scowl, dropping back into her seat with a huff.

_Ah, that makes sense,_ Nicole thought. _She thinks I’m taking her spot. I’m sure we’ll get along great,_ she thought sarcastically. Nicole found Waverly’s eyes on her, the woman giving her a small smile as if to say _Don’t worry about it._

Finally was the team’s small forward, Wynonna Gibson, who had long brown hair and an intense look about her. She was from Georgia and cracked a joke about being the only sour Georgia peach to ever exist that caused the team and coaching staff to erupt in laughter. Nicole recognized her type immediately – she was the team goofball, the comic relief when things were tense, but she had a sharp glint to her eye that told Nicole she wasn’t to be messed with. She liked her already.

“Ok, so now that we’ve got introductions out of the way, let’s get to work ladies. We’ve got a big year ahead of us, and just a few weeks before our season opener. You know my expectations - give 100% effort every single day at everything you do, and work to make yourself and each other better. That’s all I’ve got for today. Jeffy, they’re all yours,” Coach Davis said.

Jeffy stood and left the room, and Nicole’s new teammates made their way down the hall after her towards the team’s private weight room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all - quick note based on a comment I got. I changed Wynonna's last name to Gibson in this fic because I don't have her and Waverly as sisters here. I do plan to write her character in line with the Wynonna Earp we all know and love (sarcasm, humor, and bro status with Nicole), so that's why I kept the first name. Sorry if any of you were confused!


	3. Chapter 3

Waverly stayed behind with Julie as the players filed out of the team room behind Jeffy.

“Keep an eye on Phillips,” Julie said. “I think Haught can handle herself, but let’s not allow too many bad feelings to blossom between them if we can help it.” 

“I’ll handle it,” Wavery responded, making her way towards the door to follow the team. “You working out with us today?” 

“Not today, I’ve got some calls to make. I’ll stop by your guards practice this afternoon,” Julie replied. 

“Sounds good. Later, Coach.” 

Waverly headed down the hall towards the weight room, walking in as Jeffy was giving her usual start of season rules speech. 

“-and if I see any of you goofing off in here, you know what the consequences will be,” she was saying. 

“We’ll run until we die,” the players chanted in unison, some adding an eye roll for effect. 

Wavery saw Nicole cover a smirk, and she hid a smile of her own. 

“Alright, break up into groups of 3, and we’ll jump into today’s circuit. First group will start on cardio, your choice of machine, 5 minutes of intervals. Second group start on barbells. I want to see the usual barbell cycle on round 1, then work through cleans and deadlifts on each subsequent round. Group 3, you’re on medicine ball – abs, wallballs and passes. Any drops on the passes and you owe me 5 burpees. We’ll rotate through for five rounds at each station. Everybody clear?” 

There was a chorus of “Yes, Coach” before the women divided into groups. Waverly watched with interest to see which group Nicole would end up in. She saw Sara Sherman immediately align herself with her roommate, but she was surprised to see Wynonna Gibson, the team’s small forward who usually took time to warm up to people, join them. 

“Where do you wanna start, newbie?” Wynonna asked Nicole, who looked surprised at being asked to choose for the group. 

“Um, let’s do cardio,” Nicole responded. 

“Yes! Good choice, roomie!” Sara said, giving Nicole a high five. 

“Ugh, strike one, Red,” Wynonna groaned, begrudgingly making her way towards an assault bike. 

Waverly knew Wynonna despised cardio so she wasn’t surprised by her response. 

“I figured we wouldn’t want to do sprint intervals last after we’re dead on round 5,” Nicole said, heading for a treadmill. 

Waverly watched Wynonna consider Nicole’s words carefully. 

“Ok, Haughtstuff, I see the wisdom of your ways and retract your strike,” she said. 

Nicole raised her eyebrows at the nickname, and Waverly snickered as she made her way over to Jeffy as the team got started on their circuits. 

“What’ve you got for me today?” Waverly asked her. 

She may have graduated four years ago, but Waverly absolutely still considered herself an athlete and always would. She made a point of working out with the team most days. That plus playing against their players in their practice scrimmages kept Waverly in top form and feeling just as good as she had in her own college years. Jeffy acted as her pseudo personal trainer, giving her specific workouts and areas to focus on each day. 

“You want to work strength or cardio?” Jeffy asked. 

Waverly glanced around the weight room until she spotted red hair at the medicine ball station. Nicole and her two teammates were doing situps and medicine ball tosses after each repetition. 

“Strength,” Waverly answered. “How about some abs?” 

“Sure thing,” Jeffy said. “Go jump in with Sherman’s group for a bit, then switch to some weighted plank holds and v-ups.” 

“Yes, Coach,” Waverly said with a smile. 

Wynonna was the first to notice Waverly approach their group. She was red in the face and breathing heavily as Nicole sent another medicine ball pass her way. 

“Coach Earp, thank god! Why don’t you be Haughtshot’s partner, she’s trying to murder me with this damn ball,” she said between heavy breaths. 

Waverly laughed and took her place across from Nicole, sitting on a mat so that their feet were almost touching. Nicole’s face was slightly flushed and there were beads of sweat dotting her hairline. Are those freckles? Waverly thought absently as she scanned her face, the closest she’d been to Nicole since they met earlier that morning. 

Nicole looked at her expectantly, holding a 20-pound medicine ball in both hands. 

“You ready, Coach?” she asked. 

Waverly shook her head to clear it. “Hit me.” 

Nicole immediately laid back and sat back upright in a crunch, tossing the ball to Waverly when she reached the top of the movement. Waverly caught the ball and laid back into her own crunch, sitting up and passing it back to Nicole, who she found grinning at her. 

“What?” she asked. 

Nicole shook her head as she caught Waverly’s pass and laid back. 

“I didn’t realize you’d be working out with us, that’s all,” Nicole said, completing another rep. 

“Hey, I may be older than you guys, but I’m still in shape,” Waverly quipped back, taking her turn with the medicine ball. 

“I can see that,” Nicole deadpanned, and Waverly felt her face flush. 

I’m flushed because I’m working out obviously, she thought to herself. 

The hem of Nicole’s shirt rode up slightly on her next repetition, and Waverly’s eyes dropped to the sliver of pale abs on display before her. 

Nicole sat back up and Waverly’s eyes flashed up to hers a split second too late, making her fumble Nicole’s pass and have to use the ground to help her catch the ball. 

“I saw that!” Jeffy shouted from across the room. “Five burpees Earp and Haught!” 

Waverly flushed a deeper shade of red and she mouthed Sorry at Nicole before she started on her burpess of shame. Nicole just laughed good naturedly, hitting the ground and hopping back up quickly. Jesus, are those dimples? Waverly was suddenly glad for the distraction of the burpees so she could keep her focus on the ground for 4 more reps. 

The buzzer sounded as they finished, signaling it was time for Nicole’s group to switch stations again. Nicole stood and held a hand out to help Waverly off the floor. Waverly grasped her outstretched hand and felt herself pulled off the floor with ease. 

“Thanks,” she said, slightly breathless from the circuit they had just completed. 

Definitely just the circuit. 

“No problem,” Nicole said, handing her the medicine ball as her group headed back to the cardio machines for another round. 

Waverly focused on her plank holds and v-ups for the next 10 minutes of the team’s circuit, and her abs were on fire when Jeffy finally called time. 

Once all five rounds were completed, the girls gave high fives all around and awaited further instructions from their coaches as they drank from their water bottles. 

“Ok ladies, great session today,” Jeffy said. “Coach Davis is expecting the bigs on the practice court at 3:30, so make sure you eat a good lunch before then. Earp, what do you have for your guards?” 

“Right. Guards will meet me at 3:00 on the main court. We’re going to run through some shooting drills and get back into the rhythm of things today, nothing too strenuous. I’ll see you all then,” Waverly said. 

The guards nodded their assent and trickled out of the weight room. Waverly’s eyes followed Nicole’s back as she left. She couldn’t wait to see her in action in their shoot around that afternoon.


	4. Chapter 4

Nicole’s adrenaline was still pumping when she and Sara got back to their apartment. She loved being in the gym, and she felt really strong despite having taken a few weeks off from her training during her transition from Connecticut to Virginia.

She’d been taken aback when she learned Waverly would be a regular fixture during the team’s weight training sessions, but she had to admit she didn’t hate the idea. Having someone as gorgeous as Waverly Earp around was a welcome distraction from the immense stress Nicole had been under the past few weeks, not that she would ever act on the attraction to her coach.

Nicole was really looking forward to their shooting practice that afternoon. That would give her her first real insight into how well she and her fellow guards would work together on the court, as well as what Waverly’s coaching style was.

Nicole had been itching to get back on the court since the moment her previous season had ended, with the Huskies taking home yet another NCAA Championship trophy. She knew this season may not end with the same result, but nevertheless Nicole was determined to have her best season yet. Her ticket to the WNBA was so close to being punched she could taste it.

Although, the reality of her ability to play at the professional level was still up in the air given her current family situation.

_Speaking of family, I need to make a call,_ she thought.

****

Nicole laced up her shoes and stepped onto the court at 10 minutes til 3:00. Emery was also already on the court, jogging slow laps around the boundary to warm up. She nodded at Nicole as she jogged past her. Sara emerged from the locker room next, tossing Nicole a ball from the rack so she could start warming up her shot. They went to the same basket and rotated through their own warmup routines, Nicole focusing on her form shooting around the net to start.

Waverly walked onto the court at 2:55, pulling her hair back into a ponytail as she walked. She had changed out of the yoga pants and tank top from the morning’s workout and was now wearing looser fitting black sweatpants and a faded Knights t-shirt, a whistle hanging from a black lanyard around her neck. Nicole felt Waverly’s eyes on her as she continued her warmup, snagging an occasional rebound for Sara and passing the ball back out to her at the top of the key.

At 3:00 on the dot, Waverly blew her whistle once, and the guards all jogged to meet her in the center of the court. She scanned the group with a frown.

“Anyone seen Phillips?” she asked.

“No, Coach,” Sara responded, glancing at Emery who also shook her head.

“I’m here!” Jocie emerged from the locker room at a jog, her untied shoelaces flopping as she ran. She squatted into a crouch to tie them once she reached the circle.

Waverly waited until Jocie finished tying her shoes and stood up before checking her watch again.

“It’s now 3:02. Everybody on the line,” she said, a no-nonsense tone to her voice that Nicole had yet to experience. _Is it weird that I kind of like bossy Waverly?_

Nicole shook the thought from her mind and jogged to one of the court’s baselines with her teammates and waited, unsure of what exactly they were supposed to do but assuming it was some sort of running punishment.

“You all know the deal, 5 full-court sprints for every minute any of you are late. That means you owe me 10,” Waverly said, putting the whistle to her lips and blowing once.

Nicole took off at the sound of the whistle, watching in amusement as Emery Jones made the rest of them look like they were meandering through a farmer’s market on a lazy Sunday afternoon. _That girl is fucking **fast**_ , Nicole thought as she ran, planting her foot on the opposite baseline and turning on her toes as fast as she could.

Nicole and Sara were pretty evenly matched in their sprints, so they were side by side as they finished their eighth trip down the floor. Jocie was heading the opposite way, yet to finish her seventh when they ran by, Jocie shooting them a glare as they went. Nicole rolled her eyes and kept running, breathing hard as she pushed herself to stick with Sara. They finished their final trip down the court at a dead sprint, laughing as they crossed the finish line with Sara just ahead of Nicole.

“Beat ya!” Sara said, breathing heavily. “You owe me a beer, Haughtshot.”

Nicole laughed, her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. “Deal,” she said, sticking her fist out to seal the deal with a fist bump.

Jocie finished last, looking annoyed as she crossed the baseline, even though she had been the cause of the team’s punishment in the first place. Waverly blew her whistle again to signal the group to meet her back in the middle of the court.

“Not the best way to start off the season, eh Joc?” she said, directing a sharp look in Jocie’s direction. Jocie had the decency to look a bit sheepish under Waverly’s gaze.

“It won’t happen again, Coach,” Jocie mumbled more to the floor than Waverly.

“Feel free to keep showing up late - you’ll be the best conditioned team in the country,” Waverly said dryly.

Nicole swallowed her smile. _Bossy, sarcastic Waverly is kind of fun,_ she thought.

“Now then, let’s get to what I actually had planned for us today,” Waverly said. 

Nicole listened intently as Waverly explained the drills she wanted the guards to work through over the next 90 minutes. Waverly was clearly in her element as a coach, and Nicole’s respect grew a great deal for the woman as she watched her work. She was direct, knowledgeable, and gave a sound explanation for everything she wanted them to do and what she wanted them to get out of each drill. Nicole was impressed.

“Ok, Haught why don’t you pair up with Jones for this one,” Waverly said. “I want you to work on rapid-fire shots from inside the arc, one will rebound for the other for 60 seconds, then you’ll switch. Get up as many shots as you can in that time frame, and we’ll run through that a few times to get you all warmed up. Phillips and Sherman you all can work at the other end of the court. Let’s get after it.”

Nicole and Emery jogged over to their basket and waited for Waverly to start the clock. Nicole let Emery shoot first, taking her place under the net to rebound for her. She liked this drill because it was a workout for both players, the rebounder often having to work just as hard to chase down wayward shots as the shooter was putting them up.

Nicole moved fast, using her long arms to snag rebounds before they could get too far away from the basket. Emery was a decent shot, although shooting from the outside wasn’t one of her strong suits. She was a runner, a killer for other teams when it came to defensive skill and breakaways, but she didn’t have one of the higher shooting percentages on the team.

Waverly blew her whistle to signal the end of the first 60 seconds, and Nicole made her way out near the free throw line to start her turn. Emery passed her the ball for her first shot as the clock started its countdown, and Nicole fired up a short-range jumper from the elbow. It missed just off the side of the rim, but Emery had it back in Nicole’s hands in no time. This time Nicole shot from the wing, and the ball sailed through the net and straight into Emery’s waiting hands. They went on like this for the full minute, Nicole getting more into her groove the more shots she took. She was feeling it, and she sank most of her shots with ease, a grin creeping onto her face as the exertion kicked in but she continued to connect. The familiar rush of blood through her veins made her feel high, just like it always did when she was on the court. She was in her happy place again, and it felt amazing.

She sank her final shot with a _swish_ as Waverly whistled the end of the minute, and she jogged past Emery to switch places with her again. Emery surprised her by holding her hand up for a high five as she passed.

“That was freakin impressive, Haught, well done,” she said.

“You make it easy for me by getting the ball back in my hands so fast,” Nicole said, smacking her hand.

Emery laughed. “Alright, if I can make half as many shots as you did, I’m calling it a win for me this round,” she said.

“You got it,” Nicole said, taking her position under the net.

She looked Waverly’s way when she didn’t immediately hear a whistle to start the next countdown. Waverly was giving her a strange look, and Nicole raised an eyebrow in question. That seemed to snap Waverly out of her thoughts, and she put the whistle to her lips again.

****

“Ok guys, great job,” Waverly said, the group taking a quick water break before they started the next drill. “Next I want to work on some one-on-one skills, so we’re going to start with one-on-one rollout.”

Nicole was a little nervous about this one. She was familiar with the drill, but working one-on-one off the dribble wasn’t her greatest skill. Give her an open three-pointer or a step back jump shot any day, but taking someone to the rim was more of a challenge given that she didn’t have the foot speed of some of her opponents.

One-on-one rollout was a simple drill. Everyone lined up underneath one basket, and one player would start at the free throw line to receive the ball and go on offense. The first player in line under the basket would meet them at the line and play defense, trying to prevent the other player from scoring. If they scored, they got a point and got to stay on offense, like make-it-take-it. If the defender blocked their shot, got a steal, or rebounded their miss, then the defender got a point and now got to be on offense until they were beaten.

Nicole wasn’t the best at this game offensively, but her long reach and superior height to other guard players made her a force on defense. Racking up defensive points was Nicole’s best shot at winning, but she knew the point of the drill was to allow players to practice being defended by the varied defensive skillsets of their teammates. She was ready.

Nicole lined up behind Sara under the net, with Emery behind her and Jocie taking the offensive spot at the free throw line. This meant the first matchup would be Jocie trying to score while Sara played defense. Waverly passed the ball to Jocie to start the drill, and Sara ran towards her to defend. She made Jocie work for it, but Jocie was finally able to cross her up in the lane and score an easy layup for her first point.

Now it would be Jocie on offense again while Nicole played defense. Jocie set her mouth in a hard line, looking determined to show up her competition in their first real encounter on the court. _Bring it, kid_ , Nicole thought, readying herself to defend the net at all costs. Waverly passed the ball to Jocie again, and Jocie immediately tried to sprint for the net before Nicole could reach her. Nicole’s long strides brought her into Jocie’s space quicker than the girl had anticipated, causing her to backtrack towards the free throw line again and plan her next approach.

Nicole kept her eyes on Jocie’s stomach, watching the angle of her body rather than the movement of the ball.

_“No ball is getting past you without the body that’s attached to it – don’t forget that,”_ Nicole’s high school coach had told her once, and the advice had stuck with her.

She saw Jocie turn to her left, and Nicole slid her feet to beat her to the spot she was trying to go to. She heard Jocie’s huff of frustration as she tried a crossover move but was still unable to get by Nicole. Nicole could tell when Jocie had run out of moves. She saw the young guard lower her shoulder and felt the thud when Jocie made contact with her, trying to force her way closer to the net to get a shot off. Unfortunately for Jocie, Nicole had about 3 inches of height on her and a much longer wingspan, so she blocked Jocie’s shot easily and chased down the loose ball.

_One point for the new kid,_ Nicole thought, working hard to keep the satisfied look off her face.

Jocie shot Nicole a glare as she took her place in the back of the line. Nicole passed the ball out to Waverly who gave her a slight nod that Nicole interpreted as a _Well done_. Nicole took her place at the free throw line as Emery prepared to defend her, and the ball was passed to Nicole to start the round.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't decide which one I miss more - coaching basketball or watching Wayhaught...bring us season 4 please!! 
> 
> Ok I'm done lol. Hope you all enjoyed this one! 
> 
> Also in case it wasn't obvious, I'm switching POV back and forth between Nicole and Waverly, so hopefully that's coming across clearly. The next one will be Waverly's POV and include a one-on-one meeting between her and Nicole.


	5. Chapter 5

Waverly gathered them all at center court one last time to end the session. “Ok ladies, let’s finish off with some free throws and then you all are done for the day. Everyone find your own basket and shoot until you make 25. Come see me individually once you’re done and before you leave, I’ll be in my office upstairs.” 

“Yes, Coach,” echoed from the group before they each grabbed their own ball and found an open basket to shoot at.

Waverly left the court and climbed the stairs that led up to the third floor where the coaching staff had their offices. They were already two weeks into their preseason practices, and overall Waverly was happy with the progress she’d seen from her guards. Nicole especially was doing really well, and she seemed to be adjusting smoothly to her new team and their style of play. Jocie was still a bit hostile towards her but that was to be expected, especially when it was pretty obvious to everyone that Nicole would be taking her starting spot when the season kicked off. Waverly had already gotten the go-ahead from Coach Davis to make the swap official. Nicole was too skilled not to have on the court, and she made the team better overall.

Waverly stepped into her office and leaned against the wall that featured a large window overlooking the court below – her favorite feature of the space. She watched Jocie struggling to make her free throws and take out her frustration by throwing the ball hard against the wall after a miss. Waverly sighed at her immaturity.

She watched Sara sink 5 in a row before finally missing one, then watched Emery alternate between a make and a miss just about every other shot. Emery had really struggled at the free throw line last year, and it was Waverly’s goal for her to get her percentage up to above 65% this season, especially before heading into the WNBA draft next year.

Waverly’s eyes settled on Nicole last. She was at the line with the ball on her hip, eyes closed and taking a deep breath before she dribbled three times then sank into her shooting position, rising up smoothly on her toes and sinking the shot with practiced ease. Waverly watched her perform the same routine 4 more times, each with the same result. Clearly Nicole had been taught the importance of a free throw routine and made it work for her. Waverly knew her percentage was one of the highest in the league at 82%, and now she could see why.

She turned away from the window and took a seat at her desk, reading through a few emails on her laptop before her cell phone buzzed next to her computer. She picked up the phone and glanced at the text on the screen.

**_CH: baby, we need to talk about this_ **

****

Waverly rolled her eyes and placed her phone back on the desk without responding.

Champ Hardy was an assistant coach for the university’s football team, and Waverly had made the mistake of wasting five years of her life dating him. They had met at Tech when they were both student-athletes, and at first he had been nothing but charming to Waverly. After the first three years, things had gotten noticeably worse, and Champ had ended up cheating on Waverly multiple times before she finally worked up the self respect she needed to leave his sorry ass. He hadn’t taken the news of the breakup well, and given his latest text he still hadn’t fully accepted Waverly’s decision.

She looked up from her computer as Sara knocked on her door. Waverly was surprised to see she was the first one done with her free throws, as she had fully expected to be meeting with Nicole first. She waved Sara in and leaned back in her chair, closing the lid of her laptop.

“How’d you do?” Waverly asked, knowing Sara always kept count to figure out her free throw percentage.

“25 of 32, so not terrible but not great,” she replied with a shrug.

“That’s just under 80%, I’ll take that any day,” Waverly said with a smile. “How are you feeling overall, you ready to get this season under way?”

“I feel good, yeah,” Sara answered, thinking over her words before continuing. “I think we’re clicking really well, and having Nicole is gonna be clutch, she’s amazing. She’s also really cool and humble about it all, which is pretty rad and unexpected. I’m glad we got to room together,” she finished.

Waverly was relieved to hear Sara’s thoughts, as she was never sure how her perceptions as a coach matched up to the players’ actual experience with their teammates.

“That’s great to hear, I’m glad you two are getting along well off the court, too,” Waverly said. “As far as your personal goals for this season, do you have anything specific in mind that you’re shooting for, anything you really want to focus on? Obviously, Coach Davis and I are fully expecting you to remain our captain this year and be the general on the court as you always do so well, but other than that I want to hear what your goals and expectations are.”

“I’ve been thinking it over, and I really want to focus on my assists this year,” Sara said. “I know I had a great season last year scoring-wise, but I want to focus on seeing the floor better and spreading the ball around more.”

Waverly smiled at Sara’s words. This is exactly why she loved coaching, because of great kids like Sara who wanted nothing more than for their team to succeed, and to do whatever it took to contribute to that success.

“I think that’s a fantastic goal,” Waverly said. “I think having Haught as one of your wings will help, she’s great at creating space for herself and getting open, so I fully expect you two to be my dynamic duo this year. That plus Emery’s insane speed, which looks even faster than last year somehow, and you should have plenty of opportunities to help them score. I never want you to forget about yourself, definitely attack the rim when you have your own opportunities, but wanting to improve as a playmaker for others is great and will serve you well in your future career.”

Sara smiled wide, looking pleased at Waverly’s assessment. “Thanks, Coach. I’m stoked for this year. I can’t wait for the season opener next month.”

“Me either,” Waverly said. “It’s sure to be one of our best seasons yet, and a big part of that is due to your leadership and work ethic. Keep it up, and I’ll see you bright and early on Monday for our lifting session with Jeffy.”

“See you Monday, Coach!” Sara left her office with a bounce in her step that made Waverly shake her head with a laugh. 

****

Jocie hadn’t taken the news of losing her starting position very well, but it was nothing Waverly wasn’t prepared for. She had echoed Coach Davis’ words and told the young guard to take advantage of Nicole’s experience and expertise to continue to improve her own game, and it was likely she’d be back in that starting spot next season. Jocie had mumbled a dejected “Yes, Coach” under her breath before leaving the office.

Waverly stood to scan the court below her window again. There was no sign of Nicole, so Waverly wondered if she had forgotten she was supposed to check in before heading home.

She was startled by a soft knock on her door. Nicole was in the doorway, a water bottle in one hand and her backpack slung over her shoulder.

“Nicole, hi. Come on in,” Waverly said, gesturing for her to take a seat as she resumed her own behind her desk. “I’ll be honest, I was expecting to see you before your teammates, given your shooting percentage.”

Nicole looked a little embarrassed as she sat across from Waverly. “Um, yeah I shot a few extra reps,” she said with a shrug.

“You’ll get no complaints from me there,” Waverly said.

They stared at each other for a moment, both waiting for the other to speak.

“So…you wanted to meet with us, right?” Nicole finally asked.

“Right!” Waverly responded, a bit too loudly.

_Jesus, Earp, get a grip._

“I just wanted to check in with each of you and see how you’re doing. Typically, I meet with all of my players at the beginning of each season to discuss your roles and any personal goals you may have. I guess I should start by letting you know that you’ll be our starting 2-guard this year. Do you feel ready for that?” Waverly asked.

Nicole looked a little surprised but nodded her assent. “Yeah, I do. I really appreciate you all giving me this opportunity, especially given the fact that I’m new to the team and all that.” Waverly watched her brown eyes take on a determined glint. “I promise I won’t let you down,” Nicole finished.

“No one on our coaching staff has the slightest bit of doubt in your ability, Nicole. Many of your teammates already speak very highly of you, too. You have a unique talent; I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player who exhibits as much…pure joy as you do on the court,” Waverly said.

Nicole’s face flushed slightly at the compliment, and Waverly thought it might’ve been the cutest thing she’d ever seen.

Nicole cleared her throat. “Um, thanks. The court has always been my fav-“

Waverly’s phone vibrated loudly on her desk. She glanced at the screen and frowned. Another idiotic text from Champ.

_When is this guy gonna catch a hint?_ she thought.

“Is everything ok?” Nicole asked.

Waverly realized they’d been silent for almost a minute.

“Yeah, I’m so sorry about that.” Waverly paused. “It’s my ex,” she said, feeling like she owed Nicole an explanation. “We broke up a few weeks ago, and he’s not taking it well.”

An indecipherable look passed over Nicole’s face before she nodded in understanding.

“I’ve been there and done that with one of my exes, too,” she said. “It’s the worst.”

“Sorry, not that any of this is your problem,” Waverly said. “Let’s get back to your goals for the year. I assume you’re still planning to enter the draft next year, correct?”

Waverly was confused by the long pause Nicole took before responding.

“Playing in the WNBA is my ultimate goal, yes,” Nicole finally said.

“Is there any reason you wouldn’t enter into the draft after this season?” Waverly asked.

Nicole sighed. “I have some family stuff going on right now that may prevent me from doing so,” she said. “Coach Davis knows what’s going on, but I’d rather not discuss it any further if that’s ok.”

_That must be the same thing that motivated Nicole to transfer here,_ Waverly thought, but she didn’t press her on it.

“Sure, Nicole, I totally respect your privacy on that front, so I don’t need to know the details. Just know that I’m here for you if you need anything, both on and off the court, ok?”

Waverly’s phone vibrated again, and she fought the urge to chuck it across the room.

“I think I better go,” Nicole said, glancing at the phone briefly. “I’ll see you at practice on Monday.”

“Right, have a good weekend. I’ll see you on Monday,” Waverly said.

Nicole left the office, and Waverly dropped her head into her hands.

_Sweet baby Jesus should curse the day I ever laid eyes on Champ freaking Hardy,_ she thought. _I need a drink._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as always for reading, everyone! Things are about to get fun :)


	6. Chapter 6

It was 10:30pm on Friday night, and Nicole found herself out at a bar with some of her teammates. She kept a pretty strict no-drinking rule once the season started, but she figured it was important for her to get some bonding time in with her new team while she could. They still had a few weeks before their home opener, so technically Nicole figured she wasn’t breaking her rule.

TOTS, as Wynonna had called it, was officially called Top of the Stairs, and was located on College Avenue just a few blocks from the center of campus. It was a dive in every sense of the word, but Nicole loved the bar’s outdoor area where she and her teammates were now seated. It was another hot August night, and Nicole still hadn’t fully adjusted to the near constant humidity that seemed to be Virginia’s perpetual state of existence.

Wynonna was seated across the table and scarfing a huge BBQ brisket sandwich, Sara was working on a plate of fried calamari, and Nicole was nursing a whiskey on the rocks, enjoying the feel of the cool glass in her hand.

The patio was packed with students, and Nicole surveyed the crowd as some swayed in the middle of the dancefloor while others just milled around with drinks in their hands. There was a pool table in a far corner under the patio roof where an attractive brunette was hustling a huge dude with a backwards flat brim hat who must’ve been on the football team judging by his size.

“So, what’s your deal?” Wynonna asked, wiping BBQ sauce from her face with the back of her hand. “You got a boyfriend missing you back in Connecticut? Or a girlfriend? Both?” she asked, raising her eyebrows with a smirk.

Nicole laughed. Wynonna still had some sauce smeared under her left cheekbone.

“No, nobody’s missing me,” Nicole said. “I kind of severed all ties when I came here, figured it was easiest,” she said with a shrug.

“That’s cold, Haughtpants,” Wynonna said.

Sara snorted into her beer at the nickname.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice that you didn’t exactly answer the dudes versus ladies question though,” Wynonna said pointedly.

“It’s not a secret that I date women,” Nicole said. “I dated someone for a while at UConn, but it didn’t work out so it’s not a very interesting story.”

“I hear Jocie’s single if you want to give that a go,” Sara said with a wink. “I think she’s your biggest fan.”

Wynonna laughed and sipped her Jack & Coke. “You better watch out for that one, Haught. She’d push you down the stairs if she thought it’d get her back in the starting lineup,” she said seriously.

“I’ll remember that,” Nicole said.

She scanned the room again, her eyes once again finding the brunette at the pool table.

_If her hair was a little longer she’d almost resemble-_

“See something you like, Haughtshot?” Wynonna interrupted Nicole’s thoughts, following her gaze to the woman she’d been observing.

Nicole shook her head and tried to play it off. “I was just thinking it was a shame no one had taught her how to shoot properly,” she said, hoping Wynonna would drop it.

Of course, she had no such luck.

“Why don’t you go teach her then?” she said with a sly smile. “I’m sure Sherman and I can manage without you for a bit, isn’t that right Cap?”

Sara shrugged. “It’s up to Nicole if she wants to go,” she said diplomatically.

“Oh, fuck that,” Wynonna said. “I dare you, Haught,” she said with a wink.

Nicole had never backed down from a dare in her life.

****

About an hour later, Nicole found herself pressed up against Abby, whom she had learned was a junior on the school’s soccer team, had a golden retriever named Sammy, and had in fact been taught how to shoot pool by her high school girlfriend. They were back to front on the crowded dancefloor, and Nicole could feel the sweat dripping down her back as they moved, her hands on Abby’s narrow waist.

She was attractive, there was no denying that. And the fact that she bore a striking resemblance to a certain brunette coach Nicole knew didn’t hurt either. Nicole knew the attraction was mutual, but she also knew that Abby wasn’t interested in a relationship with anyone. The two had discussed it over a drink and a game of pool earlier, and Nicole was relieved they were on the same page.

Nicole’s hair was stuck to her neck, and she thanked the universe that she’d worn a short-sleeved button down that night. The song transitioned to something slower, and Abby turned in Nicole’s arms so they were face to face and still swaying slowly, Abby’s hands locking behind Nicole’s neck.

“I’m gonna kiss you now, ok?” Abby said.

And before Nicole could react, warm lips were on hers in the middle of the dancefloor. Abby’s hand squeezed tighter at the base of her neck, and Nicole relaxed into the kiss. It wasn’t earth shattering, but it was pleasant and Abby was beautiful, and the two had no expectations of each other. Nicole gripped her forearm behind Abby’s back, squeezing her closer and changing the angle of the kiss.

She heard a wolf whistle from a few feet away, undoubtedly from Wynonna, and broke the kiss to shoot her teammate a glare. Wynonna laughed in response to the daggers Nicole shot at her, but Nicole’s eyes widened as her gaze landed on the last person she’d expected to see, just over Wynonna’s shoulder at the outdoor bar.

_Waverly._

Her coach just stared, hazel eyes holding brown ones hostage across the room for what might’ve been minutes.

Abby whispered something in Nicole’s ear, and she tore her gaze away from Waverly, lowering her head to hear what Abby was saying over the music. She nodded as Abby grabbed her hand, leading Nicole from the dancefloor and down the stairs that led to the street below.

Nicole fought the urge to glance back over her shoulder. She didn’t know what she’d find in those hazel eyes if she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh ohhhhh. Angst is the name of the game, sorry not sorry ;) 
> 
> Thank you all for all of the sweet comments, those seriously make my day! Get ready for #jealousWaverly in the next one


	7. Chapter 7

Waverly was in a pissy mood and she knew it. The team workout with Jeffy that morning had gone well, but Waverly’s head wasn’t really in it. She had spent most of the hour trying to keep herself from rolling her eyes at Nicole Haught and her suddenly irritating physique, her mind replaying the kiss she had seen between her and that girl in the bar Friday night.

_Maybe I’m just PMSing,_ she’d thought, glaring at defined shoulders as Nicole was performing push presses on the other side of the weight room.

It was now approaching 2:45pm, and Waverly was in charge of running the full team’s afternoon practice at 3:00 while Coach Davis had a meeting to attend. She took a deep breath and tried to steady her mood as she sat on the team’s bench, jotting down notes on the drills she wanted to work through in their session.

Her head snapped up when Nicole, Sara, and a few others walked in from the locker room, all laughing at something Nicole was saying. Waverly narrowed her eyes and focused back on her notes. She was being childish, but she couldn’t help it.

Wynonna came in shortly after, joining Sara and Nicole near the middle of the court as they worked through some stationary stretches. They were just close enough for Waverly to overhear bits of their conversation as they chatted.

“So how’d your night end up with that soccer girl, Haughtpants?” Wynonna asked.

Waverly saw Nicole flush out of the corner of her eye.

“We just went for a walk around campus and I dropped her off at home, no biggie,” Nicole replied.

“That’s too bad. I’m sure two fine athletes such as yourselves could have stayed busy for hours,” Wynonna said with a smirk.

Sara snorted as Nicole rolled her eyes.

Waverly had heard enough.

“Let’s cut the chitchat and bring it in,” she said, standing from the bench and making her way to the center circle. The team gathered around for Waverly’s instructions. “As you all know, Coach Davis had a conflict this afternoon, so I’m going to run both groups through their various drills, and then we’ll scrimmage a bit at the end. A-Mac, take the forwards through your usual warmup drills, and I’ll come give you further direction in a few minutes.”

Nobody moved at first when Waverly stopped speaking, and her irritation came to the forefront again.

“Move!” she said, A-Mac and Wynonna jumping to attention and leading the rest of their group to the other end of the court.

Waverly caught Sara and Nicole sharing a curious glance as she turned her attention back to her guards.

“Something to share ladies? Perhaps more tales of Haught’s exciting weekend?” Waverly quipped.

Nicole’s face morphed into a perfect mix of surprise and embarrassment, but she remained silent.

“No, Coach,” Sara said.

“Good, then why don’t you all pair up and go work on some contested speed shooting. And keep the talking to a minimum,” she added, looking pointedly at Nicole.

Nicole looked a bit sheepish, and Waverly felt a tinge of remorse creep up at her own attitude. The group headed to the rack to grab basketballs and jump into the drill. Waverly watched them take turns contesting each other’s shots for a few rounds before she went to the other end of the court to focus on the forwards.

At 5’2”, Waverly obviously wasn’t a position expert on the bigs who worked most prevalently underneath the basket, but she knew how to help them get themselves open to receive the ball and score with the help of their guard counterparts. Wynonna and A-Mac, the team’s most senior forwards, were doing a good job of working with the younger players who shared their positions.

Waverly paired them up to work on power moves around the rim and then made her way back to the guards. The next 60 minutes went by quickly, with Waverly splitting her time between the two groups, relying on the captains of each group to oversee things while she was working with the alternate group.

At 4:00pm she blew her whistle to bring the group back together at center court.

“Ok ladies, let’s get into some 3-on-3 full court, I want to work on quick fast break transitions and scoring quickly. A-Mac, Sara and Nicole - you’ll be one team. Emery, Wynonna and I will be the other team. We’ll go for 3 minutes at full speed and then take a break, and we’ll repeat that a few times. Everybody good?” Waverly asked.

Waverly had volunteered herself for the drill because she figured it’d be helpful to run out some of her pent-up irritation. It’d also give her the chance to really see Nicole in action on the court and potentially make her work a little harder than usual. _Win-win_ , she thought.

Emery and Wynonna had already removed their practice jerseys to flip them to white in order to distinguish them from their maroon opponents, and Waverly realized it was lucky she was wearing a white t-shirt. The two small teams circled up as Waverly held the ball on her hip.

“Age before beauty, so my team will be on offense first. Once the 3 minutes ends, the team with the fewest points is gonna run. Got it?” she asked.

Everyone nodded and went to stand next to who they would defend. A-Mac stood by Wynonna, Sara stood by Emery - since she was the only one who could hope to match her speed - and that left Nicole to defend Waverly. Their height difference would be a challenge for Waverly to overcome, but given the mood she was in she’d bet on her ability to score against just about anyone. _Bring it Haughtshot,_ she thought, echoing one of Wynonna’s nicknames for Nicole.

Waverly put 3 minutes on the game clock and kicked the drill off by passing the ball in to Emery, who took off like a shot towards the basket. Sara was on her heels, and Nicole dropped back to help prevent Emery from scoring immediately. Emery backtracked, waiting for Waverly to get into position on the wing before passing her the ball.

Waverly studied her defender, Nicole in a deep defensive stance in front of her with her eyes focused on Waverly’s middle. Brown eyes flicked up to meet hers briefly as Waverly considered her options. She saw Wynonna make a sharp cut from the corner of her eye and reacted quickly, whipping a pass by Nicole’s shoulder and into Wynonna’s waiting hands, which was followed by an easy layup.

“First blood!” Wynonna shouted with a grin, heading to the other end of the court preparing to go on defense.

Nicole nodded to Waverly as if to say _Nice pass,_ and Waverly kept her smirk in check. She knew better than to get too cocky with a player of Nicole’s caliber. Nicole retrieved Wynonna’s rebound and passed the ball to Sara to start her team’s offensive run. Waverly had to move quickly to match Nicole’s longer strides as she ran down the court, the two of them side by side and trying to anticipate what Sara would do with the ball.

Nicole made a v-cut and received a pass from Sara just outside the elbow, Waverly in her defensive position as soon as Nicole made the catch. She watched Nicole calculate what her options were for a split second before the redhead made her move. She jab-stepped quickly with her right foot to get Waverly on her heels and pulled back, immediately lifting into one of the smoothest jump shots Waverly had ever seen up close. Waverly heard the swish of the ball through the net without having to turn her head. _Score one for the new kid,_ she thought.

She met Nicole’s eyes as she backpedaled away from her, victorious.

And then Nicole Haught winked at her and grinned, and Waverly stopped breathing.

She was pretty sure her mouth was hanging open.

“Coach!”

Emery was passing her the ball from under the net, Waverly turning just in time to catch it.

She pulled herself together and dribbled down the court, giving Emery the opportunity to work off the ball and look for her own shot. Sara was doing well defending the faster guard, so Waverly looked for her own opening against Nicole. She was close enough to the net to attempt a post move, but Nicole’s longer reach made that an improbable option for Waverly to score on. Instead she faked a move and passed it out to Emery at the 3-point line, who let a shot fly but missed just off the side of the rim.

Nicole rushed past Waverly to snag the rebound, and A-Mac took off down the floor at full speed. Waverly caught up to Nicole just in time to prevent her from scoring a breakaway layup, but she wasn’t prepared for the no-look pass Nicole made to A-Mac for an easy bucket.

“Nice pass, Haught,” A-Mac said, giving Nicole a high five as they turned back on defense.

“Way to run the floor,” Nicole responded, a little out of breath after the full court sprint.

The teams went back and forth for the remaining time until the buzzer sounded loudly, signaling a 2-point victory for Nicole’s team. Waverly hated to lose at anything, but running with her team had greatly improved her surly mood. She gave high fives to the group and they gathered around the circle, all breathing heavily.

“Really well done, everyone,” she said, looking at them each in turn. “A deal’s a deal, so my team let’s get our sprints in and we’ll call it a day.”

Waverly, Emery and Wynonna took their positions at the baseline and ran two full court sprints, one for each point they lost by, while the rest of the team cheered them on. When they were done, Waverly jogged back to center feeling better than she had in days and like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

“Ok you guys get out of here, and I’ll see you tomorrow morning for lifting. We’re just two weeks out from our home opener, so make sure you’re staying hydrated and getting some stretching in at night if you can,” Waverly said. “Great work today,” she said, meeting Nicole’s gaze.

The redhead smiled and nodded before heading out with her teammates towards the locker room.

Waverly watched them go, her mind replaying the playful wink and dimpled grin that had left her unsteady on her feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love me some crabby Waverly and clueless Nicole. And I equally love cocky #ballerNicole. 
> 
> Thank you guys again for all of the nice comments. And super stoked to see so many fellow ballers tuning in to this one! We need to get a Wayhaught pickup team together, so y'all start practicing those jumpers! LOL 
> 
> Love you all, stay safe out there <3


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning’s conditioning session with Jeffy was one of Nicole’s favorites for two reasons. First, the workout contained more cardio than their usual circuits, and Wynonna’s continuous griping was the most entertaining thing Nicole had ever heard.

“Seriously, Jeffy,” Wynonna wheezed, holding onto the handles of the treadmill for dear life as she ran. “Pretty sure you should’ve called time about 45 seconds ago,” she huffed.

Jeffy glanced at the watch on her wrist and then the clock on Wynonna’s treadmill. “Pretty sure my grandma can run a faster mile time than that, Gibson,” she deadpanned.

Nicole and Sara snickered from their treadmills on either side of Wynonna.

“Oh, shut it Haughtpants,” Wynonna said between gasping breaths. “And you,” she waved a sweaty hand in Sara’s direction. “We don’t all run marathons for a warmup and have the lung capacity of a killer whale!”

Sara laughed, wiping sweat from her forehead although barely out of breath. “What can I say, I love me some cardio,” the point guard said. She raised the hem of her shirt and flashed her abs. “It’s good for the six pack,” she said, winking at Wynonna as she kept running.

Wynonna rolled her eyes so hard Nicole thought they might stick in the back of her skull.

“Fuck you tiny people and your abs,” Wynonna huffed.

Jeffy finally called time, and Wynonna praised Allah and baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary as she hit the red Stop button on her treadmill.

“It’s not just tiny people who have abs, Wy,” Sara said. “Maybe if you ate a few less BBQ sandwiches at TOTS you too could be this good looking.”

“I call bullshit,” Wynonna said, throwing her sweaty face towel at Sara, who caught it easily. “Look at Coach Earp, she’s the perfect example of how all you shorties have abs. It’s not fair!”

Waverly heard her name and came closer to see what Nicole’s group was talking about.

“What’s this I hear about being short?” Waverly asked, hands on her hips with a mock stern expression.

_She should be in ads for workout clothes,_ Nicole thought absently as she took in the slightly sweaty brunette before her.

“Coach, I wasn’t mocking your short stature. I was just telling the girls here that you have the best abs on the team, I swear!” Wynonna said, holding her hands up in a placating gesture.

Sara scoffed. “I don’t know Coach, I think I can give you a run for your money,” she said.

“I know! We’ll let Haughtshot decide. She’s new, so she’s the least biased. Right, Red?” Wynonna asked.

Nicole looked startled. The entire team was now watching this interaction play out, amused glances passing around the room the more Wynonna talked.

_She can’t possibly mean for-_

“Great, it’s decided. Ok, Sherman, let’s see what you’ve got,” Wynonna said.

Sara made a show of lifting her shirt and doing a slow turn so the entire room could take in the abs on display. Some of the girls wolf whistled, and others held up 8 or 9 fingers for her score. Sara took a deep bow and crossed her arms over her chest in challenge.

Nicole glanced at Waverly, who appeared to be looking anywhere except at her.

“Alright Coach, a challenge has been levied. You’re not gonna let Sherman show you up like that, right?” Wynonna said.

“Excuse me, ladies.” Jeffy strode over to the circle, her chest puffed up and standing to her full 6’4” height. “I think you’re forgetting who the real Abdominal Grand Master is,” she said, raising her shirt and making her stomach jiggle as she danced around the group.

The entire team erupted in laughter, some of the girls with tears streaming down their faces they were laughing so hard. Jeffy finished her dance with a loud smack to her own belly that earned her unanimous 10s and loud cheers from the surrounding group.

Wynonna wiped tears from her eyes as she regained her composure. “Alright, alright settle down ladies. We’ve got one more contender for Abdominal Grand Master of 2020. Let’s see what you’ve got, Coach Earp!”

Nicole felt the flush spread from her neck to her hairline as she locked eyes with Waverly, who was raising the bottom of her shirt achingly slowly, her gaze never wavering from Nicole’s.

_Holy hell_ , Nicole thought, her eyes dropping briefly to the tanned, bare skin on display before finding Waverly’s eyes again. It seemed like they were the only two people in the room, and Nicole couldn’t tear her gaze away.

Somebody let out a loud cat call, and Nicole shook her head to clear it. Her eyes found Wynonna’s first, who gave her a knowing smirk as if she could read Nicole’s thoughts.

“Well, you’re the all-powerful judge, Haught. What say you?” Wynonna asked theatrically.

The room went quiet, all eyes on Nicole as she thought through how to handle the situation she found herself in.

_There’s only one way to avoid looking like a total drooling idiot here_ , she thought.

She composed her face into a look of deep concentration, then assumed the same dramatic tone Wynonna had used for effect.

“The winner, by unanimous decision, and the newly crowned 2020 Abdominal Grand Master of Virginia Tech women’s basketball is…Coach Shonda Jeffersonnnn!” Nicole shouted.

The team broke into loud applause and a chorus of cheers, and Jeffy took bows to all sides before bowing deeply to Nicole.

“I knew you had a good head on your shoulders, Haught,” Jeffy said, clapping Nicole on the back and patting her stomach with a wink. She raised her voice to address the rest of the team. “You all listen up, you can thank Haught for getting you off a little early today. Now get out before I change my mind!”

The girls scattered and ran for the door, tripping over weight benches and dumbbells as they went. Nicole waited for the mayhem to subside before following her teammates out, sparing Waverly a glance and a shrug as she went.

“Sorry, Coach. When you’re beat, you’re beat,” she said with a laugh.

Waverly echoed her laugh and put a hand on Jeffy’s shoulder. “I’ll take a loss to this Hall of Famer any day,” she said. “See you later, Nicole.”

Nicole waved at her coaches and exited the room with a sigh of relief. She didn’t know how to process the look that had passed between her and Waverly during her PG strip tease, but she knew it wasn’t something she could dwell on if she wanted to keep her sanity intact.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is kind of a short one, but I wrote it and thought it was too fun not to post, so here it is! I also wanted to switch to Waverly's POV for the next one, so there's that, too. I've already got the next chapter outlined, so I'll get that up for you guys as soon as I can. 
> 
> Love you all! 
> 
> Excuse me as I go do some crunches to get on Waverly's level...


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I lied - I decided to keep this one from Nicole's POV, I liked the flow of it better. Hope you all enjoy!

Nicole decided to take advantage of the unusually cool summer afternoon and take a walk to better familiarize herself with campus. Her first few weeks had been so busy with workouts and practices that she hadn’t had time to properly orient herself with her new school.

Cassell Coliseum was situated right next to Lane Stadium, the Knights’ football stadium that was known to provide one of the best home field advantages in the NCAA. Nicole was already looking forward to attending a home game once the season kicked off.

She passed the stadium and took in the names of the nearby residential and academic buildings. All of the buildings on campus were constructed from the same pale gray stone, giving the university a decidedly regal appearance. She bet it would look like Hogwarts at night.

The center of campus opened up to a large oval field of grass known as the Drill Field, aptly named for the platoon maneuvers practiced there by the school’s Corp of Cadets, who could often be seen marching across the grass in neat rows. Today the field was littered with students sunbathing and playing frisbee, as well as a few older couples walking their dogs around the field’s perimeter.

Nicole thought an early afternoon pick me up was in order, so she headed for Deet’s Place nearby. The student favorite grab-n-go spot wasn’t too much to look at, but they had good coffee and close proximity to the Drill Field which suited Nicole’s needs perfectly.

She was standing in line and scrolling through her phone when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Nicole turned around and found an amused Waverly Earp in line behind her.

Waverly had showered and changed into a flowy top and cutoff denim shorts, her hair in damp waves around her shoulders. Nicole suddenly wished she had done the same after their morning conditioning session. She was still wearing a cutoff tank top and basketball shorts, her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail.

“Hi there,” Waverly said, since Nicole clearly wasn’t going to greet her first.

“Uh, hi,” she said. _Smooth, idiot._ “You needed some caffeine, too, huh?” _Obviously, hence the coffee shop dumbass._

Waverly chuckled. “I’m more of a tea drinker actually, but yeah I figured the weather was too good to waste by staying indoors. What are you up to?” she asked.

“Oh, I was actually just walking around trying to get the lay of the land since we start classes soon. I realized I don’t really know where anything is other than the gym and my apartment, and I don’t want to be that pathetic senior who gets lost on their first day,” Nicole replied.

“Good call,” Wavery said. She seemed to consider her words before continuing. “I could show you around a bit if you want,” she offered.

The cashier called “next” and it was Nicole’s turn to order.

“I’ll take a cappuccino to go, please,” she said. “And whatever she’s having.” Nicole gestured for Waverly to give the cashier her order as well.

Waverly looked surprised but ordered a black tea on ice.

“I’d like it if you could show me around. If you’re sure you have time,” Nicole said.

“Definitely,” Waverly replied that 100-watt smile on full display.

Their drinks were ready a few moments later, and Nicole retrieved them from the counter.

“Thanks, you didn’t have to,” Waverly said as she took the tea from Nicole.

“No problem.”

Waverly looked thoughtful as they walked back outside into the bright afternoon sun.

“I suppose you did owe me for thinking Jeffy has better abs than me,” Waverly said.

Nicole choked on her cappuccino and felt her face heat up.

“Yeah, about that-“ Nicole started.

Waverly held up a hand to stop her. “Kidding, Haught. That was actually pretty hilarious.”

Nicole’s mind flashed back to Waverly’s toned abs and smooth skin. _That’s one word for it, I suppose._

“No offense, but Jeffy is a lot bigger and a little scarier than you,” Nicole said.

“I’m extremely scary when I want to be!” Waverly replied.

“You mean like in practice the other day when I thought you were gonna glare a hole right through me?” Nicole asked. 

Waverly looked a bit sheepish at being called out.

“Admittedly, that wasn’t my finest moment as a coach,” she said, as they walked the perimeter of the Drill Field slowly. 

“It kind of seemed like you were mad at me or something,” Nicole said, trying to understand where Waverly’s head had been that day.

Waverly sighed before answering. “I wasn’t mad I was just…frustrated. I’d seen you at the bar with that girl, and Champ -my ex- was being a douchebag all weekend and…it was just a lot. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you or the team though, and for that I am sorry.”

Nicole silently processed Waverly’s words. She didn’t fully understand what she had to do with Waverly’s frustration, but she fully knew the suck fest that was dealing with a shitty ex.

“You and bar girl seemed to hit it off,” Waverly said nonchalantly. 

Nicole shrugged. “Abby’s nice, but we both knew it was nothing serious, just blowing off steam really. We were on the same page from the beginning,” she said.

Waverly nodded in understanding as she sipped her tea. “I should’ve stuck to dating women, it’s always so much easier,” she commented.

Nicole whipped her head around so fast she almost gave herself whiplash.

_Waverly Earp dates women?_

Waverly noticed Nicole’s surprise and shrugged. “You never asked,” she said simply.

“I mean, when you mentioned an ex and said it was a ‘he’ I just assumed…” Nicole trailed off.

“It’s been a while since I’ve dated a woman, but I’m starting to think I’ve been missing out for the past few years,” Waverly said.

Nicole chuckled. “No arguments here,” she said. “You said Champ -what a name by the way- was still bugging you?”

Waverly turned more somber as they neared the coliseum. “He’s just having a hard time letting go, and it’s getting to be a pain in the ass having to ignore his drunken texts,” she said.

“I’m sorry you have to deal with that,” Nicole said.

They walked in silence for a while, Nicole suddenly realizing she’d been subconsciously leading them back towards her and Sara’s apartment building.

“Looks like I got a bit sidetracked from our campus tour,” Nicole said, gesturing to the building. “This is me.”

Waverly laughed. “Clearly I’m the worst tour guide in history,” she said. “I wasn’t even paying attention to where we were going.”

“Right, well…I guess I’m just going to head in, maybe get some reading in before practice. Are you ok to get home?” she asked.

_Why does this feel like a date?_ Nicole thought.

“Yeah, totally, I’m just a few streets over,” Waverly said. “Sorry again that I wasn’t much help in showing you around.” She paused and held Nicole’s gaze for a few seconds. “I guess I’ll see you at practice later,” she said.

“I’ll be there,” Nicole replied with a nod.

Nicole watched Waverly walk back the way they had come before she entered her building and let herself in to her apartment. She leaned her back against the door as it clicked shut behind her.

_Waverly Earp dates women._


	10. Chapter 10

The last few weeks of preseason practice had gone by in a blur. Classes had started for the players, and the team was now in the full swing of their regular season routine. They still had two practice sessions a day – the morning lifts with Jeffy and team or position practice in the afternoon after their classes. After that the players attended a daily study hall in the evenings to complete their homework and get one-on-one tutoring if needed. This routine only varied on weekends and game days, when the players would eat lunch together, attend a pre-game shoot around and prepare for the upcoming game.

Today was Sunday and the team’s home opener, slated to kick off at 5:00pm in the coliseum. The group had just met for lunch at the dining hall and were expected to meet on the court at 3:00pm for their pre-game shoot around.

Waverly was on her way to the coach’s conference room for their own pre-game meeting with Jeffy, Coach Davis and Justin. The coaches were going to discuss their game strategy as well as any specific opposing players to be aware of.

Their opponent tonight was George Mason University, another Virginia school who had a smaller athletics program but had upset some top-ranked teams the previous year. On paper, it should be an easy win for the Knights, but Waverly knew better than to take any opponent lightly.

The rest of the coaching staff was already assembled when Waverly arrived. She took a seat across from Justin and scanned the GMU roster he had open on the desktop.

“Alright everybody, it’s the day we’ve all been waiting for,” Coach Davis said. She was practically bouncing in her seat, her excitement palpable.

“Technically, the day I’ve been waiting for is hitting that million dollar jackpot on a scratcher so I can buy an island and retire,” Jeffy said.

Waverly snorted and Coach Davis waved a dismissive hand in Jeffy’s direction. “Hush, Jeffy. Now then, Justin, who are the standouts we need to be aware of tonight statistically?”

Waverly appreciated that Coach Davis got Justin involved in their pre-game meetings. She knew it was her intention to groom him so that he could become a coach someday if he wanted to. Julie knew the answers to most of the questions she asked, but she wanted Justin to explain his thought process and any strategies that stood out to him.

He scrolled through the stat sheet and highlighted a few names. “Definitely their point guard,” he said, highlighting #12 and her 22-points per game average. “And in the post, A-Mac will want to look out for their power forward, Haley Jergen, who’s averaging double-digit rebounds and points per game.”

Coach Davis nodded thoughtfully. “Defensively, who do they have to compete with Haught?” she asked.

“We should have an advantage on that front,” Justin replied. “Their point guard is their best defender, but she’s too small to guard Haught effectively, plus she’ll be more worried about Sherman. Haught’s jump shot and attacking the rim should be open all night.”

Coach Davis looked at Waverly. “Make sure you address that with Haught in the shoot around,” she said.

“Will do,” Waverly replied. “I’ll talk to Sara about defending their point guard, too. I’ve seen their game tapes, she’s weak on her left side.”

“Excellent,” Coach Davis said. “Anything else of note?” Hearing no more comments, she stood from the table. “Sounds good. Earp, you and Jeffy will run the shoot around like usual. I’ll see you all in the locker room for pre-game at 4:30. Don’t forget your fancy clothes,” she said with a wink before leaving the room.

****

It was 3:00pm when Waverly returned to the coliseum ready for the upcoming game. She was in one of her favorite dresses, a form-fitting navy blue number that was sleeveless and ended just above her knees. She carried her matching heels to avoid scratching the floor and stepped onto the court in her bare feet.

The players were scattered amongst the various baskets, each going through their own warmup routines, most wearing large Beats headphones to get in the zone. Sara was currently working through a complicated dribble series up and down the sideline, as was her usual pre-game ritual. Wynonna and A-Mac were taking turns practicing one-on-one moves against each other in the lane. Nicole was spinning the ball away from her and stepping into her shooting form before firing up shots from around the 3-point line. Waverly could see her mouthing the words to whatever song she was listening to as she moved.

She waved to get Sara’s attention, and the point guard ran over to where Waverly stood near half court, hanging her headphones around her neck as she approached.

“What’s up, Coach?” Sara asked.

“Number 12, GMU’s point guard, is their leading scorer and your responsibility tonight. If we can keep her under 20 points that’ll go a long way to helping us close this out with a win. Her left hand is weak so try and force her that way on offense, ok?”

Sara nodded. Waverly had every confidence in Sara’s ability to handle her assignment, just as she always did.

“Be vocal on the court, you know everyone will have some first game jitters. Make sure to get Nicole involved early, she’s more comfortable with the ball in her hands than without it. You feeling good?” Waverly asked.

“More than good,” Sara said with a grin. “We’ve got this one.”

Waverly smiled at Sara’s unshakeable confidence. “Fantastic. Send Haught over will you?”

Sara slipped her headphones back on and jogged over to interrupt Nicole’s shooting. Waverly saw her point to where she was standing and Nicole’s nod of acknowledgement.

Nicole hung her headphones around her neck just as Sara had and met Waverly at half court, the ball tucked under her arm at her hip. She was wearing gray sweatpants and a maroon Knights t-shirt, her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail as was her usual in the gym. What was different, Waverly noticed, was the steely glint in her eyes and the set of her shoulders that said she was in full game mode. Waverly could practically feel the adrenaline radiating off of her.

She noticed Nicole take in her outfit with an appreciative glance. Thanks to Waverly’s bare feet, Nicole seemed to tower over her even more than usual. Waverly didn’t hate it.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in anything nicer than denim shorts,” Nicole remarked.

“Game day rules,” Waverly shrugged. “Although, secretly I kind of like getting dressed up,” she whispered.

“What I meant to say was, you look really nice,” Nicole said.

Waverly felt her cheeks color slightly at the compliment.

“Thank you. How are you feeling?” Waverly asked. “You ready for today?”

Nicole nodded. “Yeah, I’m pumped actually. Feels like this day has been a long time coming,” she said.

“It’s a big day for all of us, that’s for sure. I know there’s been a lot of talk in the press about your transfer here and the outcome of this game being an indicator of how your season will go – don’t let all of that get into your head, ok?”

“I’m pretty used to all that from my old school,” Nicole said. “I’m just glad to be out on the court again, honestly, no matter how today or the season goes. That being said, I fully intend to kick these guys’ asses.”

Waverly laughed at Nicole’s deadpan delivery. “That’s what I like to hear. Coach Davis wanted me to talk to you about taking your open shots and looking to get to the rim when you can. GMU is going to have a tough time matching up with you one-on-one, and their best defensive player is their point guard who will already have her hands full with Sara. You might get doubled by her in help though, so be ready to kick the ball outside if they collapse on you underneath. Other than that, just let those jumpers fly and it should be a fun night for you.”

“Sounds good,” Nicole said. “Anything else?”

Waverly considered her. “No, I think I’ve got more butterflies than you judging by how calm you are, so we should be fine,” she laughed.

“You still get nervous?” Nicole asked.

“I think I’m more nervous as a coach than I ever was in your position,” she said. “Weird how that works, huh?

Nicole shrugged. “I think it just means you still care about the game just as much, just in a slightly different capacity.”

Waverly cocked her head in thought. “Wise words for a jock,” she quipped. 

“I have my moments,” Nicole said smirking. She glanced at the clock counting down the minutes until the game would start. “You want me to gather up the girls and head to the locker room in a few?”

“Sure, yeah. We’ll see you all in there,” Waverly replied. She watched the players shoot around for a few more minutes before heading up to her office to kill a little time before their pre-game huddle. It was almost show time.

****

The bass thumping from behind the locker room door was so loud Waverly would have believed she was about to walk into a club. She pushed the door open and was hit with a wave of sound, DMX’s “X Gon’ Give It To Ya” blasting from the room’s built-in speakers. Wynonna was rapping the second verse at the top of her voice as her teammates danced around her, all except for Nicole who was looking a bit like a deer in headlights in front of her locker.

Waverly weaved through the rowdy players until she reached Nicole’s side, now closer to her height since she was wearing her heels.

She leaned close enough to be heard over the ruckus and raised her voice so that Nicole had a chance in hell of hearing her. “Not really your style of pre-game hype?” she asked.

Nicole shook her head and laughed. “I love the song, I just wasn’t prepared for…Wynonna,” she said, looking legitimately terrified of her teammate, who was now standing on a stool and gesturing wildly as she continued rapping.

The locker room door swung open and Coach Davis entered with Jeffy on her heels. Waverly watched Julie survey the room before jumping right into the fray with the players, and cheers broke out around the room as they all jumped up and down until the song finally ended. Coach Davis looked a bit frazzled and was slightly out of breath as she waved a hand for someone to kill the music.

“Whew, I’m getting too old for this much hype,” she said. Her words were immediately followed by loud denials and laughing protests from around the room. “Alright, alright, let’s get serious. Everybody go ahead and take a seat.”

Each player had their own stool in front of their respective lockers, and there was some shuffling as everyone found their seat and quieted down. Waverly stayed standing behind Nicole’s shoulder, where she could best see and hear her former coach.

“Ok, first off, I want to say how proud I am of this team,” Coach Davis began. “You all have worked your butts off in preseason, and all of that work comes to fruition tonight in our season opener. It’s no secret that I love to win, but what I care about more than that is seeing each of you play at your individual best, working together and seeking each other out on the court. Everybody in this room has a contribution to make in order for us to be successful, so bring your best self onto that court and we cannot fail.” She paused and made eye contact with each one of the seated players. Waverly felt the goosebumps on her arms just like she used to when she was sitting in their position. “Bring it in, and let’s get after it!”

The team cheered and gathered in the center of the room, everyone placing a hand in the middle of the circle their bodies created. As the captain, it was tradition for Sara to make the call for the huddle.  
  
“Do work on 3!” she shouted. “1, 2, 3 – DO WORK!”

The team echoed her words and ran out of the locker room, down the tunnel that led to the court. Waverly followed Jeffy and Coach Davis, the bright lights from the coliseum making her squint as they walked out of the tunnel and made their way to the padded seats that made up their bench. The players had 5 minutes to warm up one last time before the jump ball at center court would start the game.

Waverly surveyed the stands, noting they weren’t quite at full capacity but were surprisingly close given the early season game. She wondered if Nicole’s presence on the team had created more buzz than usual and could be the cause of the unusually large crowd. It was certainly possible given the fact she was basically a household name in the NCAA women’s basketball circuit.

As the buzzer sounded for 1-minute until tip off, the team gathered back around their bench, the starting 5 players removing their shooting shirts and placing them over the backs of their chairs before taking their seats. The rest of the team remained standing, forming two lines to create a mini tunnel leading onto the court.

The announcement of the starting 5 was one of Waverly’s favorite parts of the game. It signaled that things were truly about to get underway, and nothing could beat the applause from the crowd when your name was called.

The announcer began calling the starters from each team, Wynonna and Sara getting the biggest cheers from the home crowd as they jogged onto the court one-by-one and waited at the center.

“And at guard, a 5’8” senior from Roanoke, Virginia, number 13, Nicole Haauuugghhhtttt,” his voice boomed through the microphone.

Waverly was fully unprepared for the crowd’s response. And judging by her face and awed look around the stands, so was Nicole. The noise was incredible. People all over the coliseum were waving signs with ‘Lucky #13’ and ‘Haught is our Hero’ painted on them in sparkly paint. Nicole jogged out to meet her teammates and they gave high fives all around.

The announcements over, the referees took their positions around center court. A-Mac got set to jump against Haley Jergen, the power forward for the opposing team who matched her 6’4” height. Nicole lined up behind A-Mac, awaiting the tip that would likely fall right into her hands. Emery was across the circle from her, ready to take off towards their basket if A-Mac did in fact win the tip off. The head referee approached the center of the circle, the ball held out on his palm. Nicole briefly met Waverly’s eyes as A-Mac crouched, the referee’s hand went up, and the game was underway.

****

Everything was going their way. It was just one of those games, and Waverly couldn’t be more excited for their team. A-Mac had won the tip off, and Emery had scored a quick bucket thanks to a perfectly timed pass from Nicole. After that opening play, it was as if nothing could disrupt the Knights’ momentum.

Emery had been a beast all night on defense, getting steals and running the floor for breakaways before the other team could even react to the turnover. Sara had completely shut down GMU’s point guard, and the girl’s frustration had quickly spread throughout her teammates and caused them to make silly mistakes. Wynonna had been killing it on the boards, snagging rebounds from all over the lane and kicking them out to Sara to jump start their next offensive possession.

And then there was Nicole. She hadn’t missed a shot all night, and she had taken a lot of them. Waverly guessed she had scored 32 points before Coach Davis had subbed her out early in the 4th quarter, letting Jocie Phillips get some minutes on the court to end the game. She had put on a shooting clinic, and the crowd had loved every second of it.

_Definitely just the crowd_ , she thought, smiling to herself.

It was the final seconds of the game, and all of the starters were now out except for Emery, who was acting as point guard with Jocie and a freshman guard on the court with her. Waverly watched her take her time and work the ball around to her teammates before starting an intentional offensive play, letting time slowly tick away until the final buzzer sounded and announced their first win of the season.

Waverly was fired up for the team and the school’s program at large. They had looked fantastic, and her guards had been the primary scorers throughout the game. She beamed as Emery and the others jogged off the court, getting high fives from their teammates before lining up to do the same with the opposing team. The team returned to the locker room and the pre-game hilarity ensued, Wynonna and Sara riling up their teammates and jumping all over the room as they celebrated. Waverly was amused to see Nicole partaking in the commotion this time, her face split in a huge smile as she hugged all of her teammates in turn.

The breath whooshed out of her as Waverly felt two strong arms grab her from behind and lift her so that her toes were just grazing the floor. Her feet landed seconds later, and the grip at her waist loosened revealing a grinning Nicole Haught behind her as Waverly stepped away. Waverly’s gaze got trapped on a smattering of freckles and the deepest dimples she had ever seen.

_Nicole Haught was just hugging me,_ she thought dumbly.

“Great game, Coach,” Nicole said, her smile never leaving her face. “And thank you.”

Nicole was off to hug the next person in the room, and Waverly was still standing in the same spot unable to form words.

_Nicole Haught was hugging me, and I didn’t even get to hug her back._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys as always for reading! Hopefully this was the right amount of sports stuff mixed in with personal conversations, etc. as I didn't want to overwhelm those of you who aren't sports nuts like myself lol. (I used to be a sports writer, so trust me when I say I could have literally detailed every play of an entire game haha). 
> 
> I have many plans for these two in the coming chapters, my outline is getting longer by the day, so hope you all stick with me <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a good mix of some different things other than just basketball, including some brief snippets of upcoming backstories for both Waverly and Nicole. And of course there is some one-on-one Wayhaught time :) Hope you guys enjoy!

Legal Theory & Practice was one of Nicole’s favorite courses, but it was also one of her hardest. Luckily, she had been able to transfer all of her previous class credits from UConn to VT, so she was still on track to graduate on time with a B.S. in Criminal Justice at the end of this year.

The best and perhaps most unexpected aspect of the class was the fact that Wynonna was also taking it, as the two of them coincidentally shared the same major. Nicole had been shocked to see Wynonna walk in and plop down in the seat next to her on the first day of class. Then again, she realized she had no idea what Wynonna’s major was since she’d never asked. She had asked on that first day in Legal Theory, and she had laughed out loud when Wynonna said she was also a Criminal Justice major.

“Why is that funny, Haught?” Wynonna had asked.

Nicole shook her head. “I don’t know, I just didn’t picture it for you I guess,” she’d replied.

“You mean you can’t envision me as a badass lady cop who makes criminals tremble in fear?” Wynonna asked.

Nicole thought it over seriously. “When you put it that way, I pity the poor criminals.”

“Damn straight,” Wynonna said with a nod. “Do you want to be a cop, too?” she asked.

Nicole shrugged. “Honestly, I just find the whole justice system super fascinating. But I figured it wouldn’t be a terrible backup plan if my basketball career didn’t work out.”

“I can see it now,” Wynonna said dreamily, “Deputy TaterHaught. Has a great ring to it, don’t you think?”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “Clever.”

She had spent the rest of the class trying to hear the professor over the smacking of Wynonna’s gum.

****

Nicole’s classes followed the same routine and schedule each week. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays she had Legal Theory and Dystopian Literature, then on Tuesdays and Thursdays she only had Criminological Theory. It was pretty common for athletes in their senior year to have a lighter course load, as they usually took classes during the summers as well, which Nicole had done in all three of her previous years.

Today was a Friday, so Nicole was finishing up her afternoon with Legal Theory before heading home to pack. The team had an away game the next evening at The College of William & Mary, which was about a 4-hour drive to the southeastern coast of Virginia, so they’d be taking a charter bus in the morning. Nicole definitely had some homework to do as they traveled, and she hoped the uninterrupted bus time would help her to wrap her head around some concepts she’d been struggling with.

The bus was set to leave at 8:00am, giving the team plenty of time to arrive at W&M, get a good meal in, and have an opportunity to warm up properly before tip off at 6:00pm. Nicole had never visited William & Mary before since that school wasn’t in UConn’s conference, so she was looking forward to visiting and playing on a new campus. One of her favorite perks of being a student-athlete was getting to travel all the time.

After class, Nicole went straight home to get her things together before dinner. Coach Davis had given them the afternoon off since they were traveling in the morning, so Nicole had a bit of free time to get everything she needed done. She arrived at the apartment to find Sara already packing, her oversized rolling gym bag lying open on the living room floor. The bag was nearly full to bursting, and Nicole wondered if Sara would even be able to get it zipped.

Sara came out of her room carrying a travel pillow and proceeded to cram it on top of the bag, a pair of socks rolling out as she did so.

“You think you’ve got enough stuff?” Nicole asked with a laugh.

“Traveling is no joke, Nicole. You can never be too prepared,” she said seriously.

“I guess the good news is that if I forget anything, it’s probably already in your bag,” Nicole teased.

“You’ll be sorry when you find out you forgot something because you didn’t take advantage of every inch of space you had available in your bag. Mark my words!”

“I love you, but you’re insane,” Nicole said, as she walked into her own room to find her team-issued bag, embroidered with her number and the school’s logo on the side. She found it in the back of her closet and shook it out, laying it open on her bed so she could get to work.

She started with the essentials – basketball shoes, slides, extra socks, underwear, a phone charger, headphones, something to wear for the trip home. Then she tossed in her Legal Theory book, a notebook and pen, and a few stray protein bars she had in her nightstand drawer, just in case she got hungry. She packed her team sweats as well as a pair of jeans and a button down – better to be prepared in case the team went anywhere nicer than a Wendy’s to eat. She’d throw in her toiletries after she used them in the morning, same for the memory foam pillow she couldn’t sleep without.

Other than that, Nicole thought she was pretty much ready in ten minutes. Her bag was half empty, and she laughed at the image compared to her roommate’s. Their manager Justin would be bringing all of their uniforms, so she didn’t have to worry about that. As an afterthought, she threw in some pre-wrap and a roll of athletic tape just in case and called it good. Nothing left to do but get some food, a good night’s sleep, and roll out of bed and onto the bus tomorrow.

****

Nicole would be forever grateful that Coach Davis didn’t require the team to wear dress clothes on the bus. She rolled out of bed, threw on some well-worn sweatpants and a Toronto Raptors t-shirt, and made her and Sara breakfast smoothies before they headed to the coliseum to meet the bus. 

At 7:45 am, their teammates were an amusing mix of either half asleep or half awake. Nicole and Sara were both morning people, so they were faring better than others - like Wynonna, who was leaning heavily against the bus with her eyes closed. Nicole wasn’t 100% positive she wasn’t asleep standing up.

The coaches were all standing around chatting with matching coffee cups from Dunkin Donuts – someone must’ve gone for a coffee run before they arrived. Jeffy and Coach Davis were wearing matching team sweatpants and t-shirts, while Waverly was wearing yoga pants that looked better on her than any workout wear had a right to and a thin baby blue hoodie, her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. Waverly’s eyes caught Nicole’s when she heard her and Sara walk up, and her gaze drifted away and came right back to Nicole in a way that made her get a pang in her gut.

Their chartered driver opened the bus’s power door and the sound of the air lock releasing had Wynonna jumping away from the bus like she’d been electrocuted.

_Definitely asleep_ , Nicole thought, shaking her head in amusement.

The players stowed their bags in the cargo hold on the exterior of the bus and began to file into seats. The bus had way more seats than they had players, so it was easy for them to spread out. Wynonna bulldozed her way to the back row so she could lay down on the bench seat and promptly resume her sleeping. Nicole picked a seat closer to the front where it was quieter and less crowded, just a few rows behind where the coaches were getting settled. She could just make out Waverly’s profile across the aisle and up a few rows, but she quickly reminded herself she had chosen the front to get some work done.

Sara took a seat in the row right behind Nicole, so they were close enough to speak.

“Did you bring something to do, or are you going to sleep?” Sara asked her, pulling out her neck pillow as well as a full-sized pillow to prop behind her back against the window. She had also brought a thin blanket and an eye mask, Nicole observed. _Of course she had._

Nicole held up her Legal Theory book. “I brought some homework. Hopefully the drive will make this make more sense to me than it does when I read it in my room,” she said.

“Good luck with that,” Sara said, settling back into her pillows and covering her eyes with the mask. “I’m putting on my meditation podcast, but poke me if we stop for snacks.”

Coach Davis gave the driver the OK, and the bus slowly pulled away from the curb in front of the coliseum. Nicole spent the first half hour of the drive taking in the rolling farmland and trees surrounding the campus. One thing she couldn’t deny, Blacksburg, Va. was one of the most beautiful places Nicole had ever seen. She’d heard late Fall would be epic.

After she had gotten her fill of sightseeing, Nicole sat cross-legged in her seat, getting as cozy as she could before cracking her book open to the latest chapter. She chewed on the end of her pen as she re-read part of the chapter they had been discussing in class.

_What is Law? This general question about the nature of law presupposes that law is a unique social-political phenomenon, with more or less universal characteristics that can be discerned through philosophical analysis. General jurisprudence, as this philosophical inquiry about the nature of law is called, is meant to be universal. It assumes that law possesses certain features, and it possesses them by its very nature, or essence, as law, whenever and wherever it happens to exist. However, even if there are such universal characteristics of law—which is controversial, as we will later discuss—the reasons for a philosophical interest in elucidating them remain to be explained... (1)_

Nicole found herself re-reading the last sentence multiple times before she sighed and looked out the window. Maybe it was too early in the morning for Legal Theory.

“Haught.”

Nicole looked up to find Waverly looking at her with a concerned expression.

“Everything ok back there? That was quite a sigh,” Waverly said.

“Yeah, I’m just having a bit of trouble with one of my classes, that’s all,” she replied, holding up the book to show Waverly the subject.

Waverly’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Did you know I was pre-law before I switched my major to Anthropology?” she asked.

“I-“ Nicole shook her head. “Of course you were,” she laughed.

“Why don’t you come show me what’s giving you so much trouble,” she said, sliding over to the seat at the window to make room for Nicole to sit.

Nicole grabbed her book and notebook and walked up two rows to sit beside Waverly. “Are you sure?” she asked.

“Totally. Let’s see it.” Waverly gestured for Nicole to hand over the book, and Nicole pointed to the passage she had been reading.

Waverly’s eyes scanned the words quickly before she met Nicole’s gaze. “Ok, so what are you having trouble with?”

Nicole scrunched her nose. “I think it’s the vocabulary that’s tripping me up. All of the terms are based in Latin, and I feel like I have to waste so much time trying to look up individual words to see what they mean before I can even begin to figure out how to piece the overall idea together,” she explained.

Waverly nodded her agreement. “Very true, it’s much easier if you have a foundational understanding of Latin when working with ideas of law,” she said.

“I’m so glad I took all those years of Spanish in high school then,” Nicole said sarcastically.

Waverly laughed. “Ok, give me an example of a word that’s stumping you, and let’s see if I can help you better understand how that ties into what you’re reading.”

Nicole scanned the page that was still open on Waverly’s lap, pointing when she found one that had frustrated her.

“Jurisprudence, good choice,” Waverly said. “You already know that it stems from Latin, but the roots of the word are _jur_ and _prudentia_ , which mean law and knowledge, respectively. The older form of the word would have been _jurisprudentia_ before it was altered and translated for modern languages like English.”

Nicole just stared at her incredulously, and Waverly blushed when she realized that Nicole wasn’t saying anything.

“I might’ve also taken Latin while I was an undergrad,” Waverly said with a shrug. “I had big plans to be a hotshot lawyer. Obviously, I took a bit of a detour from that life path,” she laughed.

“I have so many questions,” Nicole said, “but let’s stick to you teaching me for now, and we’ll get back to Hotshot Lawyer Waverly later. I can’t wait to hear the story behind that.” 

****

Apparently, talking to a certified genius made time fly on a road trip. It seemed like only minutes had passed when the bus driver announced that they were approaching Williamsburg, the historic city that was home to The College of William & Mary. Quaint shopping centers and strip malls lined the two-lane road leading to the campus, and in the blink of an eye they rounded a corner and had gone back in time.

Colonial Williamsburg was exactly what the name implied, a colonial city that dated back to the 18th-century and had been preserved and restored to its original glory for historical accuracy and educational purposes. The College itself was confined within low brick walls in the shape of a giant triangle, the point of which began at Colonial Williamsburg and then widened out into a V the further away the campus spread from the colonial area.

“Did you know this school was built in 1693, making it the second-oldest college in the country?” Waverly asked.

Nicole jumped at the sound of her voice. She’d been staring out the window taking everything in, and she’d actually managed to forget she was sitting next to a living encyclopedia.

“How do you know literally everything?” Nicole asked.

Waverly shrugged. “I read a lot. But I’ve also been here before,” she said, nudging Nicole’s shoulder with her own playfully. 

“It’s gorgeous,” Nicole said, more to herself than Waverly.

“It really is. It’s too bad we don’t have more time to explore while we’re here. There are some really fascinating period actors who work in the city who can teach you anything you’d want to know about the colonial era.”

“Maybe we’ll have to come back someday,” Nicole said.

Waverly studied her face before answering. “Yeah, maybe we will.”

The majority of W&M’s academic and residential buildings were constructed of both the original and restored red brick of the era, but as the bus got farther away from the colonial town center Nicole noticed larger, more modern buildings interspersed between the old. There seemed to be a clear delineation between the old campus and the new, and the arena they’d be competing in was definitely on the new side.

Kaplan Arena was a huge rectangular building with giant, multi-paned windows on the sides that almost spanned the walls from floor to roofline. The bus drove past the main entrance and adjacent visitor parking lot and pulled around to the back side of the building where an oversized parking space was waiting. The other side of the street boasted a small Rec Center and a sign marking the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center. Catty corner to where the bus had parked was a large building that must’ve been a dining hall.

Coach Davis stood at the front of the bus to get the team’s attention. She did a slight double take when she saw Nicole sitting next to Waverly but didn’t comment on it.

“Ok ladies, it’s 12:30, and the game is at 6. We’re going to have an early team dinner at 3:30 and then head over to the arena to prepare for the game and warmup. You all are on your own until then, so you’re free to roam around anywhere within walking distance – I’d recommend checking out the campus as it’s pretty special, plus the weather is great today. Keep your phones on you, and don’t be late and make me send Jeffy to hunt any of you down please.”

There were murmurs of “Yes, Coach” from around the bus as players stood and started stretching out their limbs and packing up their belongings. Waverly handed Nicole her textbook back.

“You should go have fun with the girls,” she said. “We’ll have a coach’s meeting shortly I’m sure, so we’ll see you all back at the gym in a bit.”

“Sounds good. And thank you for helping me with the legal stuff. Honestly, the way you explained it made way more sense than anything I’ve learned in class so far, so thanks,” Nicole said. 

“Anytime,” Waverly said with a smile.

_Famous last words_ , Nicole thought. She shoved her book in her bag and threw the strap over her shoulder before following her teammates off the bus. A few hours to kill, a game to win, and then they’d be back on the bus for a red-eye trip home. Tis the season for away games.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Legal passage Nicole was reading was sourced from: Marmor, Andrei and Sarch, Alexander, "The Nature of Law", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2019 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = 


	12. Chapter 12

Waverly was in a great mood. The team had won their game against W&M the night before, and although they’d gotten back to Blacksburg at 1:30am, she was wide awake and ready for the day by 7:30. It was Saturday, so Waverly was planning to get in a morning run, maybe treat herself to breakfast out somewhere, and then get some errands done around her apartment.

She was running her usual loop around the campus when she spotted a flash of red across the street. _There’s no way that’s_ \- _yep, it’s her. Of course it is._ Waverly laughed to herself as she picked up her pace, making sure she didn’t lose Nicole before she could catch up.

Nicole turned left onto College Avenue and was heading towards town, skirting the southeast edge of the campus. Waverly followed her lead and crossed the street so they were on the same side, Nicole about 20 feet ahead of her.

“Haught!” Waverly shouted, feeling a bit guilty as Nicole’s stride faltered, her head whipping around to see who had yelled.

Waverly saw Nicole scan the street before finally seeing her, her eyes widening in surprise and her face splitting into an instant smile. _That look will never get old,_ Waverly thought. She waved as she jogged the rest of the way to where Nicole was now waiting on the sidewalk.

“Hi,” she said, slightly out of breath as she came to a stop in front of Nicole.

“What are you stalking me now?” Nicole joked, her hands on her hips as she also caught her breath.

Her face was flushed, and there was a strand of red hair plastered to the side of her neck that made Waverly’s fingers itch to brush it away. She brought her focus back to Nicole’s eyes when she realized Nicole had asked her a question and was waiting for her to respond.

“Please,” Waverly said, waving a dismissive hand as if waving away Nicole’s question. “Although, don’t act like you wouldn’t enjoy it if I was,” she said.

_Did I seriously just say that? What, we’re flirting now? You’re flirting with Nicole Haught?_

Waverly interrupted her internal panic spiral when Nicole cocked her head and studied her for a long moment.

_Oh my god, what is she thinking? She thinks you’re nuts, that’s what. Now things are going to be weird between you for the rest of the season and-_

“I wouldn’t hate it,” Nicole said with a shrug.

“I…you- Oh.”

Nicole laughed at Waverly’s loss for words and glanced at the Fitbit on her wrist. “I’ve got a few more miles to get in so I’ll see you later?” She was backpedaling away from Waverly as she spoke, getting ready to start jogging again.

_She’s leaving after she just-_

“Wait!” Waverly practically shouted the word. Nicole waited expectantly. “Do you wanna get some breakfast?”

“You want to have breakfast with me. Right now?” Nicole asked, looking about as confused as Waverly felt.

“Yeah.” Waverly was holding her breath, feeling like Nicole’s answer to this simple question was somehow important.

Nicole cocked her head again, and Waverly realized it was her trademark when she was thinking something over. It was fucking adorable.

“Ok,” Nicole finally responded, and Waverly felt the grin spread across her face.

“I was going to end my run at Joe’s Diner up the street, but we could just walk there from here. Is that ok?” Waverly asked.

“Lead the way,” Nicole replied. She waited for Waverly to catch up before she turned around to walk next to her.

They walked in silence for a minute. Waverly was trying not to have a panic attack about basically having just asked one of her players out for a breakfast date on a whim. Honestly, she was panicking more about the fact that Nicole had agreed to it.

“So that was some game last night, huh?” Waverly asked.

_Real smooth, Earp. Please go home now and never leave your apartment again._

“Yeah, it was a fun one for sure,” Nicole said.

The game had been fun to watch. The Knights had a large lead most of the game, which allowed the players to relax and just enjoy their time on the court. Games like that were always a nice relief when they happened.

_Why don’t you just say what you want to say and stop being weird. You’re an adult goddamit!_

Waverly thought over her words carefully before speaking again.

“Look, can I just say something here and if I’m totally off base we can just pretend it never happened and move on with our lives and go eat some pancakes?” Waverly said in a rush.

She stopped walking, forcing Nicole to stop and meet her eyes. Her brown ones looked concerned, as if she expected Waverly to tell her that something was wrong.

“Yeah, of course you can,” Nicole said.

Waverly took a deep breath but made herself maintain eye contact. “I like you,” she said.

Nicole furrowed her brow. “I like you, too?” Her tone made it sound like a question, and Waverly let out a frustrated breath.

“No, I mean I think you’re gorgeous and funny and I think about you all the time like you,” she tried again.

Nicole’s eyebrows shot to her hairline and her cheeks turned pink. “I- you…”. She pointed at Waverly and was shaking her head slowly as if she was having trouble processing Waverly’s words.

“I realize that it’s completely inappropriate because you’re still a student, and I’m your coach, but if I didn’t say something it was just gonna keep building up inside me until I burst and I’d rather just put it out there and say it out loud rather than keep pretending-“

“I like you, too,” Nicole said, no question in her tone this time, her brown eyes steady on Waverly’s hazel ones.

Waverly let out the rest of her breath. “Right,” she said quietly.

_I have no idea where to go from here,_ she thought.

She voiced the thought aloud to Nicole.

Nicole rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, we should probably talk about this. But you also said you’d buy me pancakes so…”

Waverly laughed. Leave it to Nicole to get them out of an awkward situation. “Pancakes it is,” she said, resuming their walk to Joe’s, her mind in a whirl.

****

They were seated in a corner booth in the back of the diner. It was mostly empty this early on a Saturday, as most of the students were probably still sleeping off their hangovers from the night before. Nicole ordered a cappuccino and Waverly asked for an English breakfast tea.

They stared at each other as the waitress went to get their drinks. She brought them quickly and they ordered their food – pancakes for Nicole and a bowl of oatmeal for Waverly.

“So you think I’m gorgeous, and you just decided you’d ask me out on a date this morning, huh?” Nicole said, grinning into her coffee as she took a sip.

Waverly felt the blush stain her cheeks. “For the record, asking you out for breakfast was completely unplanned,” she said. “But yes to the other thing.”

“Well thank you, for both,” Nicole said. “You can also note for the record, that you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, so the feeling’s mutual.”

_Remember to breathe for the love of god,_ Waverly thought.

“Noted,” she said, smiling into her teacup.

“I should let you know that I have no intention of acting on this…attraction between us,” Nicole said. “Like you said, you’re my coach, and I won’t have you putting your job at risk because of me. Plus I’m going into the draft next year, and I could literally end up in some random city on the other side of the country and-“

“Nicole.” Waverly raised a hand to stop her from continuing. “I get it, trust me. I have no intention of standing in the way of any of your upcoming opportunities. I really just couldn’t keep seeing you every day and not have this…attraction as you say, out in the open between us. We’re both adults, so I felt we could have a frank conversation about it and move forward, which we’ve done. I honestly feel much better now that we’ve acknowledged it and can stop tiptoeing around each other. It’s been driving me insane,” she said.

“Totally. We’re both adults who happen to be attracted to each other, and now we know that and can go on with our lives as usual. Sounds good,” Nicole said.

Waverly stared into deep brown eyes, and another stretch of silence encompassed them as they wrestled with their own thoughts.

“You know this whole ignoring the attraction thing isn’t going to work if you look at me like that,” Waverly said quietly. 

Nicole looked taken aback. “How do you propose I look at you?” Nicole asked.

“I don’t know, just keep the dreamy eyes reeled in ok?” Waverly said, focusing on her plate of food rather than the trap of Nicole’s eyes across the table.

“Fine, then you keep the hazel heart eyes in check, while we’re at it,” Nicole said.

“I do not have ‘heart eyes’,” Waverly said, using air quotes around the term and looking embarrassed.

“Whatever you say, Waves.”

_Waves._

Nicole had never called her Waves before, and the force of the nickname from Nicole’s lips made her chest tighten uncomfortably.

“Yeah, and don’t call me that,” she said.

Nicole looked startled. “I thought you said everyone called you Waves?”

Waverly nodded. “I did, and they do, but apparently I can’t deal with that from you.”

Nicole cocked her head again, a smirk reaching her lips as she realized what Waverly was implying.

“Noted,” she said, turning her attention to her stack of pancakes.

“Wipe that smug look off your face, Haught,” Waverly said.

“I’m not doing anything!” Nicole laughed.

“Mmhmm.”

Waverly ate a bite of her oatmeal. She had a feeling she had just opened a giant can of trouble, and her name was Nicole freaking Haught.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think y'all know how well this "ignoring the attraction" thing is gonna go ;) 
> 
> Thanks as always for all of your comments! I'm stoked you guys are digging the story so far <3
> 
> *slinks away to decide how long to torture you all until we get some Wayhaught action mwahahaha*


	13. Chapter 13

Nicole had a serious problem. It turned out that knowing your sexy-as-hell coach was attracted to you was super distracting when it came time for workouts and practice together. Nicole could no longer tell if Waverly was wearing cropped tank tops and tight shorts to intentionally drive her insane, or if she was just being paranoid since their discussion last Saturday.

She was 100% certain the universe was now conspiring to force her and Waverly together as much as possible. Today in their morning workout, Jeffy had paired Nicole and Waverly together since Sara, Nicole’s usual partner, was out sick. And of course, today’s workout was ab-focused, meaning Nicole spent an entire 45 minutes trying not to stare at Waverly’s exposed abs as they did crunches, planks, leg tosses and the like. It was freaking torture.

If Waverly knew the effect she was having on Nicole, she didn’t let on. She’d been her usual pleasant, chatty self without crossing the line into flirty territory, which Nicole considered a small but welcome mercy.

When Jeffy called time on their final set of the morning, Nicole restrained herself from running out of the weight room at full speed. She needed a cold shower and fast.

****

This afternoon was special for the team, as it marked their annual Meet the Players event where fans could bring their families to meet the team, take pictures with their favorite players, and get signed autographs on any memorabilia they possessed. The event was always a big hit with young girls, especially those from the local middle school basketball programs near the college.

Nicole loved kids, and she was really looking forward to seeing how many people turned up. She and her teammates and coaching staff were currently on the court in the coliseum, waiting for the doors to open at 3:00pm. They had set up a few folding tables end-to-end where the players could sit and sign posters for anyone who wanted them, and they had a rack of basketballs out on the court that people could use as props for photos if they wanted to. All-in-all it was a very casual vibe, and Nicole appreciated it in comparison to the more strict setup they’d had to enforce for the huge crowds that turned up to meet the UConn team.

At 3:00 on the dot the first few families started to wander into the coliseum. Some of the players took seats behind the table, while others sat on the table itself or plopped down cross-legged on the floor to be closer to eye level with some of the younger kids. Nicole opted to sit on the table with her legs dangling over the side so she could get up for photos if needed. She was second-to-last in the lineup of players, near the end of the line and within earshot of the coaches who were all clustered at the end of the tables. She overheard Jeffy whisper something about hoping no kids wanted to touch her and nearly choked on the laugh she smothered.

The first group that came in was a mom with 3 little girls who all shared her blonde hair and blue eyes, ranging in age from 3-8 years old Nicole guessed. The 3-year-old was on her hip as they worked their way down the line of players, A-Mac currently signing a poster for them and passing it to Emery on her left. By the time they reached Nicole, the oldest girl was bouncing on her toes in excitement and openly staring at her.

“Hi there,” Nicole said, taking the poster from Wynonna on her right and putting it on her lap so she could sign her name above her photo. “I’m Nicole, what’s your name?” she asked the girl.

“My name’s Ryan, and you’re my favorite player ever,” the girl answered.

“Thank you so much, I really appreciate that,” Nicole said. “Have you guys been to a game to see us play this year?” she asked.

Ryan shook her head. “Mom says it’s too expensive to get tickets for the whole family, but we always watch the games on TV at home,” she explained.

“Honey,” the mom whispered to her daughter. “I am so sorry,” she said to Nicole, looking embarrassed at her daughter’s admission.

“That’s ok,” Nicole said. “How would you guys feel if I set you up with 4 tickets for our next home game? Would that be ok with you?” Nicole addressed the question to the kids’ mother but saw Ryan’s face light up out of the corner of her eye.

“You really don’t have to do that,” the woman said, shifting her youngest onto her other hip.

“No really, I insist. We get four tickets per game for our family members, and mine isn’t able to come to the next one anyway, so the seats will just be open if you guys don’t want them,” she said.

_They’ll be open for all the games after that, too_ , Nicole thought. She kept the smile on her face as she waited for the woman’s answer.

She watched the mom think it over, and the decision was made for her when she saw her daughter’s giant pleading eyes.

“That’s really kind of you, we’d love to come,” she said.

“Great, I’ll have the tickets waiting at will call for my new best friend Ryan here, plus 3,” Nicole said. She reached down to give the ecstatic Ryan a high five, and the girl smacked her hand before stepping in to hug Nicole around her middle.

“Thank you so so so much, I can’t wait!” she said. “I’m gonna wear my number 13 jersey and everything!”

Nicole laughed as, in true child fashion, Ryan took off to go grab a basketball and start running laps with it around the court, the conversation forgotten. Ryan’s mom nodded another thank you to Nicole and continued down the line with their signed poster in hand. Nicole watched the family approach the coaches, and she found Waverly’s eyes on her. Nicole gave her a small smile and a shrug before the next group was in front of her.

****

Thoughts of her family had consumed Nicole ever since that first group had spoken to her at the event. She had tried her best to be super engaged with everyone who met her, but she’d been distracted and she knew it. She hoped it hadn’t been obvious to any of the fans.

She had offered to put the tables away once the event was over so the rest of the team could head to the library for their allotted study hall hours. The coaches had a staff meeting over dinner to talk strategy for the next night’s game, so Nicole had been left alone in the gym as she folded the table legs and carried the tables to the storage closet. She looked up when she heard the clicking of high heels coming towards her from across the now-dim court.

Waverly had dressed up a little for the family event. She was in dark skinny jeans and heels, her long hair down in its usual waves with a pale green top that made her eyes startlingly green. Nicole thought she looked stunning as always.

“Hey,” Waverly said. “Need a hand?”

Nicole shook her head. “I’m good, just have one more to go,” she said, walking the table she was holding over to the closet. “Don’t you have a dinner meeting?”

“Yeah we do, I told Coach Davis I’d be a few minutes late. I just wanted to check on you first,” Waverly said.

Nicole frowned. “Is everything ok?” she asked.

“I don’t know, is it? You seemed a little…off during the event, and I know how much you’ve been looking forward to it. Did something happen?” Waverly asked.

_Perceptive_ , Nicole thought.

She sighed. “Not really, no. That first mom with the three little girls just reminded me of someone else, that’s all,” she answered vaguely.

Waverly seemed to consider her words carefully. “What you said to them about your family, it made me realize I’ve never actually seen your family at any games yet. Is there a reason for that?” she asked.

Nicole met her eyes briefly before focusing on the last table, folding each leg underneath precisely as she decided whether or not she wanted to have this conversation. _Fuck it, she might as well know._

“I don’t have any family who will come,” Nicole said quietly. “My parents died when I was a junior in high school. They were on the way to one of my games with my twin brother, and there was an accident. They both died on impact, but my brother survived, although he was seriously injured and in the hospital for a long time.”

Waverly’s eyes were wide with pity and concern, and it made Nicole hate herself even more.

“If your brother survived, what do you mean by not having any family left to see you play?” Waverly asked.

“Nathan blames me for the accident. He hated how much our family traveled while I was playing sports, how our entire world seemed to revolve around me and getting me on the best travel teams, making sure I could play for the best coaches. He never got the attention he deserved from them, and that was my fault.” Nicole took a deep breath. There was a reason she never talked about this with anyone. It was too fucking painful. “A few years ago, he started using drugs pretty heavily. He almost overdosed a few times, so finally a few months ago I had him admitted into a rehab facility near where we grew up, just about an hour from here actually. He was pissed when he found out where I was taking him, but I convinced him to give it a chance since he wasn’t having to pay for it.” Nicole felt the tears gathering in her eyes but blinked them away. “I call him every week to see if I can visit him, but so far he hasn’t taken a single one of my calls. The best I could do was be nearby in case he ever agrees to see me, so that’s why I’m here.”

“Nicole, I am so sorry,” Waverly practically whispered. “I had no idea about any of that.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Nicole said. “I told Coach Davis as much as I needed to explain my transfer here, but I don’t need everyone in my life knowing the destruction I’ve caused. People who knew what happened never looked at me the same once they found out, so I stopped telling people. I don’t deserve anyone’s pity for something that I’m responsible for.”

“None of what happened was your fault, Nicole,” Waverly said, stepping closer to her. “You can’t carry that weight around forever or it’ll crush you.”

“Maybe I deserve it,” Nicole said quietly.

“Hey.” Waverly was standing so close Nicole had to refocus to take in her features. “Nobody deserves to carry that kind of pain alone, no matter what they think they’re responsible for. Do you hear me?”

Nicole held Waverly’s gaze like a lifeline and nodded.

“Can I- I’m gonna hug you, ok?” Waverly said.

Before she could respond, Waverly’s arms were around her and Nicole found herself trapped in a fierce hug. Waverly’s heels made her just shorter than Nicole, and Nicole tentatively wrapped her arms behind Waverly’s back and held onto her own wrist. They stood there for a long time, Nicole breathing in the lavender and honey scent that she’d unknowingly come to associate with Waverly. She felt the tension leave her body slowly, releasing her hold on the shorter woman and stepping back when she felt the negative emotion drain out of her like murky bath water down a drain.

Nicole didn’t know what to say after the unplanned display of vulnerability that was such a rare occurrence for her. 

She cleared her throat. “I need to get to study hall,” she said.

Waverly shook her head as though Nicole had pulled her attention from a different train of thought. “Right, yeah. I need to get to my meeting.” She paused. “Thank you for sharing that with me, I know it wasn’t easy for you, and you can trust that I’ll keep everything you told me in confidence.”

“I know,” Nicole said. “Thanks for listening.”

She searched Waverly’s eyes for any sign of her having a changed opinion of her based on what she’d heard. She was met with the same soft kindness she always saw there, a slight crinkle around the corners of her eyes as Waverly gave her a small smile.

“Do you want me to walk with you to the library or anything?” Waverly asked.

“No, you go to your meeting. I’m fine, I promise,” Nicole replied. “I’ll see you tomorrow for pre-game.”

“Ok, see you tomorrow,” Waverly said. She crossed the court the same way she’d come in and disappeared down the hall, Nicole’s eyes never leaving her back.

When Waverly was out of sight, Nicole picked up the final table and leaned it inside the closet, clicking the door shut the same way she latched the box on her emotions shut when it came to her brother. She flipped off the final light switch, making her way through the dark and wishing things could be different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, I had no intention of this chapter getting so heavy, but I needed to get to Nicole's back story, and the way it came out of my mind ended up exactly how I wanted it to be. We needed to get a deeper peek inside Nicole's character, and that's really what I wanted to accomplish with this chapter. 
> 
> Anyways, hope you guys like it, and I promise the next one will be more upbeat :) Love you all!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you all so much, I'm giving you two updates in one day! Hope you enjoy this one <3

The team’s Thursday night game was a big one, and Waverly was nervous. The Knights were playing the NC State Wolfpack, the first top-25 ranked opponent they’d face this year. NC State had also started off their season 4-0, so one of the two teams would get their first loss as a result of this game.

The team shoot around had gone well, and overall the players seemed relaxed and ready for the game without being too anxious. Waverly hoped it was a good sign, but she wasn’t feeling 100% confident. Their coaching staff meeting had been a bit more tense than usual. Coach Davis knew the Knights were the underdogs in this matchup given the skilled athletes NC State had on their roster this season. Nevertheless, Waverly knew better than anyone that any team could win on any given night, it all came down to who wanted it more.

****

The first half ended with the Knights down by 8 points. Wynonna had gotten into early foul trouble which meant that one of the younger forwards was having to play more than usual, and she was struggling to contain NCSU’s larger, more experienced post player. Other than that, Waverly was pretty impressed with the team’s performance. Sara and Emery had been gelling really well, finding each other for some great open shots and a few quick buckets in transition.

It was obvious from the get-go that NC State’s entire defensive strategy centered around shutting Nicole down. They were playing a zone-and-1 defense, which meant that their best defensive player was assigned to follow Nicole anywhere she went on the court to prevent her from scoring. Nicole had managed 11 points in the first half despite the tight defense, but that was much lower than her season average. Waverly knew they’d need to do better to get her the ball if they had any chance of winning.

Coach Davis had said the same thing to the team as they rested in the locker room at half time. She wanted Emery and Sara to set a lot more off the ball screens to free Nicole up, and she wanted Nicole to keep driving hard to the rim to try and draw fouls - she could earn a lot of points at the free throw line if given the opportunity.

Waverly’s knee bounced nervously as she sat on the bench as the clock ticked down to 1:38 left in the game. The Knights had drawn within 5 points, and they had the ball after the latest score by the Wolfpack. Sara dribbled up the court, her eyes scanning the floor for the best opportunity to score. Emery set a blind screen on Nicole’s defender, allowing her to break away for a pass from Sara at the 3-point line. Nicole let an open 3 fly and it sailed through the net. The Knights’ bench went crazy, and Waverly waved them all back off the court before the referee decided to penalize them for celebrating.

The Knights were now down by 2, and NCSU had the ball. There was just over a minute left, the opposing point guard letting the clock tick down before calling a play. There was still enough time left for the Knights to stay in their man-to-man defense without intentionally fouling. The point guard finally passed the ball out to the wing and cut to the free throw line in anticipation of a return pass, which Sara deflected away from her and into the hands of Wynonna in the post. Wynonna quickly kicked the ball out to Emery who took off down the court, Nicole trailing to her right and running hard on her heels. The defender who had been guarding Nicole all night was as quick as Emery, and she caught up to her before she was able to get a shot off. Sensing Nicole behind her, Emery passed the ball to Nicole who kept her momentum and drove hard to the rim, right at the waiting defender who was sliding over to cover her.

Waverly saw the shot play out in slow motion. The defender slammed into Nicole just as she went up for her layup, the ball circling the rim for what felt like an eternity before slowly dropping through the net. The bench went crazy beside Waverly, but her eyes were on Nicole and the defender who had both hit the ground hard, the two of them landing in a tangled heap. She heard Nicole cry out as the opposing player rolled off of her, her hand immediately going to her ankle.

_Shit._

Waverly stood and yelled for the team’s athletic trainer. She was itching to follow him onto the court but knew she wasn’t needed, she needed to let Randy do his job and figure out if Nicole was ok. She watched him poke around Nicole’s ankle, her face twisting into a grimace as he touched certain spots. He asked her a question and Nicole nodded once, her face morphing into a hard mask as she tried to get up. She was thankfully able to make her way off the court before collapsing into a seat at the far end of the bench. Waverly noticed her clenched jaw as she limped past, trying to put as little weight as possible on her left ankle.

Coach Davis’ voice pulled Waverly’s attention away from Nicole. She was calling for Jocie to enter the game to replace Nicole. There were 3 seconds left on the clock, and someone had to shoot a free throw that could potentially give the Knights a 1-point lead.

“Sara, you’ll take the shot. Man-to-man full court after the make, no fouls. Got it?” Coach Davis said to the gathered players.

There were nods all around the small huddle. Sara went to the line and took a deep breath, the crowd almost silent as she took four slow dribbles. Her motion was fluid as always, the ball sailing through the air and falling through the net effortlessly.

The Knights were up by 1. After the make it was pure chaos for the final 3 seconds. An opposing guard grabbed the ball from the net and inbounded it quickly. Sara was defending the point guard who caught the ball, took two quick dribbles and then fired up a lob shot from half court. The ball hit the backboard but missed the rim. The buzzer sounded. The Knights win by 1.

The crowd went crazy, and Waverly’s attention was right back on Nicole. The rest of the team lined up for the handshake while Waverly walked to the end of the bench and crouched in front of her.

“Are you ok?” she asked. The trainer was still looking over her ankle carefully, having removed Nicole’s left shoe and sock. “How does it look?” she asked him.

“It’s already swelling, definitely a sprain,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like anything’s broken, and she still has good range of motion although it’s obviously painful, so I don’t think it’s serious. I’d say a few weeks on crutches and she’ll be good to go.”

“A few _weeks_?” Nicole asked. “We have games,” she said, as if that would make Randy alter his diagnosis. Her eyes met Waverly’s in a panic.

“Deep breaths, Haught. Let’s get you back to the locker room, have our debrief, and then figure out our plan, ok?” Waverly said soothingly.

Nicole sighed. “Yeah, ok.” She went to stand and then paused, looking at the trainer. “I might need some help getting back there actually,” she admitted.

“No problem,” he said, standing to give her a hand up from the bench. He took hold of her wrist and wrapped it around his neck, letting Nicole lean against him as she hobbled down the hallway to the locker room. Waverly walked behind them, feeling unable to do anything helpful.

The team flooded in after Nicole was seated on her locker stool, all of them making their way over to check on her immediately. Waverly watched Nicole wave away their concern and joke that she’d be running circles around them again in no time, although her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Even Jocie gave Nicole a high five and told her that last shot was “sick”.

Coach Davis came in last, settling the team down and telling them how proud she was of the joint effort it had taken to pull off that win. She told them to take Friday off of practice, and she released them all to head home and get some rest.

Waverly stayed behind as Coach Davis pulled up a stool next to Nicole, eyeing her ankle warily.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Well, I’m glad I made the shot, but I’m pissed I’ll be sitting out for a few weeks. We’ve got Boston College next, and then Syracuse right after that and you know how good-“

Coach Davis cut Nicole off. “Hey, slow down there, champ. Injuries are part of the game, you know that. You don’t need to worry about who we play next and what the outcome will be without you on the court, that’s my and Earp’s job. What I need you to focus on is resting up, getting that ankle healthy again, and being ready to come back as soon as you feel you’re physically able and get an all-clear from Randy. Deal?”

Nicole looked glum but nodded her understanding. “Yes, Coach,” she said.

“Good.” She stood from the stool and made her way to the door. “Earp, let’s meet tomorrow morning to discuss the necessary roster changes. And I consider you fully responsible for making sure Haught stays off that ankle and is back on the court as soon as possible. She’s your girl, so make it happen.”

Waverly widened her eyes at the _your girl_ comment but echoed Nicole’s “Yes, Coach” before Coach Davis left the locker room. Randy came back in carrying a pair of crutches, and Nicole wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“Have you used crutches before?” he asked her.

Nicole rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately, yes, so I know how horrid they are.”

Randy laughed. “Great, then I won’t insult your intelligence by showing you how to use them. Ice on and off as much as you can throughout the day, keep the foot elevated at night if you can to help with the swelling. And you go everywhere on those crutches for two weeks minimum, no weight on the ankle, got it?”

“Got it,” Nicole replied, taking the crutches and hopping up onto her good foot to get herself situated on them.

“Need a ride home, hop-a-long?” Waverly asked, hiding a smile.

Nicole glared at her. “Bite me,” she said, crutching in front of Waverly as Randy held the door open for her.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Waverly said, following Nicole slowly down the hall and out to the lot where her car was parked.

****

Practices the following week were a little rough but not terrible. Jocie was going to fill Nicole’s starting spot while she was out, and it had only taken her a few days to get back into a solid rhythm with the other starters. Nicole had been a trooper, attending all practices and cheering for her teammates although she was only able to observe from the sidelines. Nicole had a great eye for the game, and she made helpful comments and notes to her teammates that even Waverly wouldn’t have picked up on without her being there.

The problem Waverly had wasn’t with Nicole’s attitude or even her injury, it was her _presence._ Since Nicole wasn’t actually on the court and busy focusing on drills, she was instead focusing on Waverly, and it was slowly driving Waverly insane. She caught Nicole watching her as she demonstrated a particular defensive movement she was teaching the guards to perform. She felt brown eyes on her as she blew the whistle to signal the start of another sprint. She met Nicole’s gaze as the team was walking through a new play in the half court. It was maddening.

****

The first game without Nicole was another home game against Boston College. The Knights had started off slow offensively, but things had really picked up in the second half, and Tech had come out on top with a 15-point victory.

Nicole had been the most vocal Waverly had ever heard her, cheering like crazy every time one of her teammates scored or made a solid defensive play. Nicole was seated at the far end of the bench, and Waverly still heard her voice over the crowd the entire night. She was glad Nicole was exhibiting such a positive attitude when it would’ve been just as easy for her to pout her way through the next few weeks. Of course, that didn’t stop Waverly’s annoyance at finding Nicole’s eyes on her multiple times throughout the night, just like she had in their last few practices.

Waverly was lingering in the locker room after Coach Davis’ victory speech, trying to inconspicuously make sure Nicole was able to maneuver herself out of the room without assistance. Nicole had leaned her crutches against her locker, and in their haste to leave one of her teammates must have knocked them over, because Waverly was now watching Nicole struggle to reach them without getting up from her stool. She smothered a smile at how adorable the whole situation was.

Nicole sighed audibly and then realized Waverly was still in the room. “I think I need some help,” she said.

“Nicole Haughtshot Haught needs my help? Who would’ve thunk it?” Waverly teased.

Nicole narrowed her eyes at her. “Yes, _Waves,_ I need some help, please,” she said, emphasis heavy on Waverly’s nickname that she’d been forbidden to use.

Waverly gave her a pointed look but didn’t comment on it. She crossed the room to gather up the crutches before handing them to Nicole, whose eyes were unabashedly scanning over her outfit.

“Thanks,” Nicole said, taking the crutches and pushing herself up on one foot. “You look nice by the way.”

Waverly smiled at the compliment but deflected it with a wave. “So do you,” she said, and meant it.

This was the first time Waverly had seen Nicole semi-dressed up. Since she wasn’t playing in tonight’s game, Nicole had adopted the business casual dress of the coaching staff. She was wearing black pants with matching Vans and a subtly patterned button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her forearms. It was a good look on her, if Waverly said so herself.

Waverly made her way to the door to open it for Nicole to hobble through, but she found herself holding it shut with her palm rather than opening it.

“What did you think you were doing out there tonight?” Waverly asked, turning to face a startled Nicole.

“Um, cheering for my team since I’m currently a useless cripple?” Nicole replied uncertainly.

Waverly shook her head. “No. I meant the way you’re always watching me. You’ve been doing it all week. I can literally feel your eyes on me all the time and it’s making me crazy because I wish it was more than just your eyes,” Waverly said in a rush.

Nicole opened her mouth to say something but seemed to decide against it. Waverly’s eyes widened as Nicole crutched over to where she was standing and flipped the lock on the door.

“For the record, this would be way hotter if I wasn’t on crutches,” she said.

Before Waverly knew what was happening, Nicole’s lips were on hers and she was on fire. Nicole’s lips were soft but the kiss was firm, insistent without being demanding. Nicole’s hands were firmly planted on her crutches, so the only contact between them was where their lips were joined. Waverly needed to rectify that immediately.

She slid her hands up Nicole’s jaw line, threading her fingers through the hair at the back of her neck. Nicole sighed into her mouth at the contact and changed the angle of the kiss, Waverly opening for her immediately to give her better access. The first brush of Nicole’s tongue against her own made Waverly’s knees go weak, and she leaned back against the door to steady herself.

The movement caused Nicole to lean forward into her, getting off balance on her crutches and pulling away from Waverly’s lips in alarm. Waverly placed both hands on Nicole’s stomach to steady her, laughing into Nicole’s neck and feeling her abs tense beneath her fingers as she caught her breath from the near fall.

Waverly pulled back to meet Nicole’s gaze, only to find her shaking her head in amusement.

“I swear to god you’re gonna be the death of me,” Nicole said.

Waverly rolled her eyes and gave Nicole a peck on the lips before releasing her grip on her shirt and turning to unlock the door.

“Let the record show that you clearly started it and are the guilty party here,” Waverly said, pulling the door open so Nicole had room to crutch through it.

“Pfft,” Nicole scoffed. “I object, as this was clearly a black and white case of entrapment.”

Waverly raised her eyebrows in surprise at Nicole’s legal knowledge. “Fine, I accept a sliver of blame for this…slip up in our self-control, which I’m sure won’t happen again,” she said, knowing full well she had every intention of repeating this scenario as many times as possible.

Nicole laughed and made her way through the door. “Whatever you say, Counselor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnnndddd, you're welcome. That is all. 
> 
> *mic drop* 
> 
> PS this story is so freakin' fun to write :) Thank you all as always for all of the love you've been showing me in the comments. I love you all back x1000


	15. Chapter 15

Nicole threw another pair of socks into her duffle bag and zipped it up quickly, checking her watch with a curse as she slung the bag over her shoulder and rushed towards the front door.

“See you after break!” she shouted to Sara, who was busy rummaging in the kitchen cabinet above the stove.

“Later roomie, Happy Thanksgiving!” Sara replied with a wave over her shoulder.

Nicole took the stairs and pushed her way through the apartment complex’s front door, her eyes immediately landing on a yawning Waverly leaning against a red Jeep Wrangler idling in the parking lot. The smile that stretched Nicole’s features was immediate and unexpected, and she fought to get a grip on the butterflies she felt at Waverly’s small wave when she spotted her.

“Good morning,” Nicole said, tucking a strand of shower dampened hair behind her ear as she approached.

Waverly smiled and handed her a paper coffee cup. “Cappuccino, right?”

Nicole was surprised she had remembered, but she took the coffee gratefully. “Very smooth, Earp,” she replied teasingly, “and thanks for this.”

“You’re welcome.” Waverly glanced around the empty parking lot before rising up on her tiptoes to give a startled Nicole a quick peck on the lips before turning to climb into the Jeep. “Let’s get on the road, shall we?”

_I am so not ready for this,_ Nicole thought, walking around to the passenger side and tossing her bag behind her seat before climbing in.

****

The invitation to spend Thanksgiving with Waverly’s family had caught Nicole completely off guard. One day after practice, Nicole had been crutching alongside Waverly on their way to the parking lot so that Waverly could give Nicole a ride home, a routine that had stuck after Nicole had first injured her ankle a few weeks prior. The team had a few more practices before their short Thanksgiving break, and then they’d return for an away game against Syracuse in New York.

“Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving?” Waverly asked.

Nicole shook her head as she hobbled along with the crutches. “Nah, I’ll probably just stick around here and get some studying done or something. I think Sara is spending the holiday with her boyfriend, so I’ll have the place to myself.”

Waverly hadn’t responded immediately, and Nicole glanced over at her as they got closer to Waverly’s usual parking spot.

“WouldyouwannamaybecomeoverandhaveThanksgivingwithmeandmyfamily?” Waverly suddenly blurted out.

Nicole cocked her head and laughed at the blush spreading across Waverly’s cheeks.

“I’m sorry, I think you’ll recall that I didn’t study Latin,” Nicole replied, nudging Waverly with an elbow playfully as they came to a stop by her car.

Waverly looked like she was about to repeat herself, so Nicole held up a palm to stop her. “If you were attempting to ask me if I want to spend Thanksgiving with you and your family, then the answer is that of course I will, Waves. Are you sure you want to risk that though? What will your parents think?”

Waverly seemed to think over Nicole’s question for a minute before answering. “I’ll just tell them that you’re one of my players who doesn’t have any family to spend the holiday with,” she said. “That’s the truth, so it’s not even like I’m lying to them. And as for the team…well we just probably won’t tell any of them about this I suppose. Is that ok with you?” Waverly asked.

Nicole felt a familiar pang in her gut as she pictured her brother Nathan eating Thanksgiving dinner alone in the rehab facility. _Not that he’s even agreed to speak to you in months,_ she thought. She stuffed her guilt back into its usual internal box and snapped the lid shut on it.

“It’s more than ok, thanks for even thinking to invite me,” Nicole said. “It’s really sweet and you didn’t have to.”

Waverly squeezed Nicole’s shoulder as she helped her into the car and took her crutches to place them in the back.

“I’d want you to come even if you did have somewhere else to go, I really mean that Nicole,” she said.

Nicole swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded her understanding before Waverly shut her door.

****

Nicole had been nearly asleep the week prior to break when she’d been startled by a loud buzzing from the phone on her nightstand at 10:30pm. She grabbed the offensive device and squinted at the overly bright screen in the darkness.

**_Waves: I have an emergency at my apartment, can you come over asap?!_ **

****

Nicole sat upright in bed and threw the covers off her legs as she began fumbling around for her sweatpants while trying to reply to Waverly with one hand.

**_Nicole: be there as soon as I can_ **

****

She threw on the first worn hoodie she could find on her floor and raced out the door. Waverly’s apartment was close enough that Nicole decided to just run the half mile there. She took the stairs two at a time and knocked on door 307 as she tried to catch her breath.

The door swung open and Waverly met Nicole’s confused gaze with a grin. Nicole gave her another once over, again finding nothing visibly wrong with the woman in front of her. Her eyes lingered on the short sleep shorts that showed off more of Waverly’s skin than Nicole had ever seen.

Waverly cleared her throat, and Nicole’s eyes snapped up to a smug look from Waverly.

“See something you like, Haught?” Waverly quipped, the smirk settling more firmly on her lips.

“I-“ Nicole tried to slow her erratic breathing. “Are you ok? You said there was an emergency.”

“Oh, there is,” Waverly said, grabbing the front of Nicole’s sweatshirt and pulling her inside. She had Nicole’s back pressed against the apartment door before Nicole had time to process what had just happened. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you, so I needed to see you,” Waverly said bluntly. “It was a life or death situation honestly,” she continued, her eyes crinkling as she smiled up at Nicole.

Nicole grinned and put her hands on Waverly’s hips, flipping their positions easily and leaning into Waverly’s warmth.

“Well in that case,” Nicole whispered against Waverly’s lips, “it’s lucky for you that I got off those godforsaken crutches a week ago.” She teased Waverly’s lips with the tip of her tongue. “And that I’m not as slow as Wynonna.”

Waverly shut her up by pressing their lips more firmly together, and Nicole ran her fingertips up the smooth expanse of Waverly’s thigh that she could reach…

****

“Nicole!”

Nicole’s head whipped to the side at Waverly’s raised voice from the driver’s seat.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve been talking to you for like 3 minutes, did you hear a word I said?” Waverly asked.

Nicole felt her face flush as she shook her head. “Sorry, I was just thinking about something. What’d I miss?”

Waverly gave her a look but picked up where she had left off. “I was just saying that I should probably fill you in on my family before we get there,” she repeated.

“Definitely, please do,” Nicole said, finally focused on the conversation.

“Ok, so there’s my dad, Rick. He’s a high school English teacher and has been my whole life. He loves his job and loves me more, he’s seriously the best you’ll adore him,” Waverly explained.

Nicole nodded as she listened. “Rick, English teacher, got it.”

“My grandma Gertrude will be there, too, she’s a feisty one so you’ve got to watch out for her,” Waverly said, a warmth in her tone that Nicole rarely heard.

“Gertrude. Feisty grandma, check.”

Waverly nodded. “Then there’s my mom, Diane.” Nicole noted a tightness in Waverly’s voice that wasn’t there before. She’s a CEO at an investment firm, very type-A, and she’ll have every detail of Thanksgiving dinner planned down to the placement of the napkin rings. Since she just thinks you’re one of my players, she probably won’t grill you like she has all of my past relationships, but consider yourself warned just in case,” Waverly finished.

Nicole hid her grin by looking out the window. “So does that mean you consider us to be in a relationship even though you didn’t tell your parents that?” Nicole asked.

Waverly met her gaze with wide eyes. “Oh, I mean I don’t know, I hadn’t really thought about it, and I know we’ve never talked about anything being official or whatever I just-“

Nicole caught Waverly’s wildly gesturing hand and squeezed her fingers as she rested their hands on the console between them. “I was just teasing you, Waves, don’t have a panic attack on me, ok?”

Waverly looked grateful for the interruption in her rambling. She smiled shyly and gave Nicole’s hand a squeeze. “No panic attacks, I promise,” she said.

“Good. Now tell me more about this feisty grandma of yours,” Nicole said, and Waverly laughed before launching into one of her favorite Gertrude stories.

****

The four hour drive was beautiful, and Nicole had to admit that Virginia in the late Fall was something pretty special. Orange and red colored trees lined the highway throughout their entire drive, the view stunning enough to occasionally pull Nicole’s attention away from the woman beside her who told countless stories of her family while peppering Nicole with just as many questions as they drove.

As they got closer to Waverly’s rural hometown of Petersburg, Nicole’s leg started bouncing nervously in the passenger seat. She really hoped she made a good impression on Waverly’s family, but she didn’t allow herself to dwell very long on why it mattered to her in the first place. She and Waverly were on the same page, they both knew that the chances of the two of them actually having a relationship given their current places in life were slim to none. For the time being they had agreed to just ignore their circumstances and see where things took them, no pressure, keep things casual.

_As if something casual is even possible with a woman like Waverly,_ Nicole thought, watching her flip the blinker on before turning into a long, paved driveway leading to a stately brick house.

Waverly parked next to an old red Chevy at the end of the driveway and glanced over at Nicole.

“You ready for this?”

Nicole took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. “Ready,” she said with a small smile.

Waverly’s eyes searched her face for a few moments. “I really wish I could kiss you right now,” she said quietly.

Nicole’s eyebrows rose to her hairline. She would never get used to the blunt way Waverly expressed her feelings and continually knocked her off her feet with no warning. Nicole shook her head and opened her car door before they forgot where they were and whose eyes could be on them right now.

“We better get in there before I’m forced to jump you in front of your unsuspecting parents,” Nicole muttered.

Waverly slapped her back playfully as Nicole hopped out of her seat, grabbing her duffle bag from the back and swinging it over her shoulder. They were only spending one night, so the bag was light against her side as Waverly knocked once on the front door before pushing it open and entering in front of Nicole.

_Here we go,_ Nicole thought, taking her first step over the threshold and into Waverly’s world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaccckkkkk. 
> 
> Guys, first of all I can't begin to thank you enough for all of your kind comments on this fic. I've had so many of you asking for an update on this one, and I'm sincerely sorry it has taken me so long to get back to it! All I can say is that life has been crazy, work has been crazier, and if you think COVID might be fun to get, I wouldn't recommend it. 
> 
> All of that being said, welcome back to our world of Wayhaught, which I feel that we all need now more than ever, and thank you for keeping tabs on me and pushing me to get you all the update you deserve! 
> 
> I love you all - be safe <3


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly this chapter took a very different turn from what I was originally planning, but it ended up developing in a way that is honest and painful and reflective of what I'm sure a lot of us have experienced at some point in our lives. Even though it's a bit heavy, I hope you all like it and I promise it'll be necessary for the future plot. 
> 
> Relationships aren't easy, and it's the weathering of storms that shapes the strongest ships. I'm almost certain some old white dude said a quote similar to that at one time or other in history ;) 
> 
> I love you all, thanks for reading as always.

So far things had been going smoothly.

Waverly stood at the kitchen island helping her mother transfer a large mixed salad into a serving bowl, her eyes tracking Nicole as she moved to the refrigerator to grab the pitcher of water Diane had requested be put on the table. She had to admit, seeing Nicole moving through her childhood home as if she belonged there was making feelings crop up that Waverly wasn’t sure she was prepared for.

Nicole caught Waverly’s eye and gave her a subtle half-wink as she carried the pitcher to the dining room. Waverly bit her lip to stop the smile threatening to overtake her face.

“Here Waverly, this is ready,” her mother said, nudging the salad bowl towards her as she sprinkled a few more walnuts on top with a flourish.

Waverly picked up the bowl and squeezed past Nicole who was returning to the kitchen to retrieve Gertrude’s favorite wine glass, which was actually a worn out old mug that said _World’s #1 Grandma_ on it – a gift from Waverly when she was six years old.

Waverly ran a finger across Nicole’s stomach as they slid past each other, grinning at Nicole’s audible intake of breath at her touch. She met Gertrude’s piercing blue eyes as she placed the salad on the table, the old woman smiling at her but saying nothing.

_Keep your hands to yourself, especially in front of Gertrude!_

Waverly’s mother entered the room carrying a steaming dish of sweet potatoes covered in marshmallows, her father on Diane’s heels with a bottle of wine. Nicole returned triumphantly with Gertrude’s mug, and Waverly smiled as Gertrude gave Nicole’s hand a thank you pat.

“Thank you, sweet girl,” Gertrude said, gesturing for the wine bottle from Rick before pouring herself a generous mug full.

“It was my pleasure, ma’am,” Nicole replied, taking her seat across from Gertrude and next to Waverly at the long rectangular table.

Waverly took a sip of water as she settled into her seat.

“This one’s a keeper, Waverly honey, I hope you bring her back next time you visit,” Gertrude said.

It was all Waverly could do not to spew her water across the table. She covered her mouth and coughed a few times after she managed a rough swallow, shooting a glare at Nicole who was slapping her back in an effort to help.

“I’m fine,” Waverly said, her eyes watering slightly from her near-choking. “Grandma, you know Nicole is just one of my players. And she’s a senior so this is her last year with us before she moves up to the pros, right Nicole?”

Nicole glanced around the table as she spoke. “Um that’s right, I’m hoping to enter the WNBA draft next year, so we’ll see how it all works out,” she said, mostly to Rick who was listening intently while Diane seemed to be more concerned with the temperature of the sliced turkey than the conversation happening around her.

“Ah, yes of course honey, but you can still bring _friends_ over in the future, especially ones with manners as nice as Nicole’s,” Gertrude insisted.

Waverly fought not to roll her eyes and helped herself to the green bean casserole in front of her.

_Of course Grandma would be a complete sucker for Nicole within an hour of meeting her,_ she thought. _It’s the Haught Effect._

“Yes, ma’am,” she replied, knowing it was useless to argue with her grandmother.

“Nicole has much better manners than that brute, Champ. Wouldn’t you agree dear?” Gertrude asked, her tone the picture of innocence although the gleam was back in her eye.

This time it was Nicole who stifled a snort. Waverly pinched her thigh under the table.

“Have you met the young man, Nicole?” Gertrude asked.

Nicole cleared her throat before answering. “No ma’am, I haven’t had the pleasure.”

“Well, lucky you,” Gertrude mumbled, taking another sip of wine before buttering the dinner roll on her plate.

“Grandma!” Waverly hissed, causing Nicole to stifle another laugh.

“So Nicole, which team are you hoping to be drafted to?” Rick cut in. Waverly threw him a grateful look and sipped her wine carefully, keeping a wary eye on Gertrude as she listened to Nicole’s response.

“Honestly sir, I’ll feel really lucky to be drafted to any team. It’s been my dream to play in the WNBA since I was a little girl, and the fact that it might come true in just a few months is pretty hard to wrap my head around,” Nicole said.

_God, could she be any cuter?_ Waverly thought.

“And how long is the potential career of a professional athlete?” Diane interjected, seeming to take notice of the conversation for the first time as she piled a bite of salad onto her fork.

Nicole looked taken aback by the question, glancing at Waverly as she formulated her response. “Oh, it’s hard to say ma’am, but barring any serious injuries some players, like Sue Bird for instance, have been in the league for almost two decades.”

Waverly smiled at Nicole proudly before narrowing her eyes at her mother. Leave it to Diane to start the inquisition on job security before they’d even had dessert.

“Interesting,” Diane replied, her tone making it clear she thought it was anything but. “I often ask Waverly how advantageous she thinks this assistant coaching hobby will be for her in the long term, but alas she refuses to finish out that law degree and get herself on a real career path.”

Waverly’s grip tightened on her fork, and she felt a warm hand rest on her thigh under the table. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“I’ve told you many times mother that coaching is my passion, so I’ll continue to do that as long as any university will have me,” Waverly said, her voice tight. She switched her fork to her right hand and briefly placed her left on top of Nicole’s in her lap before removing her napkin and bringing it to her lips.

Ever the moderator between Waverly and Diane, Rick steered the conversation back to Nicole in an attempt to keep the peace, a move Waverly had seen him perfect throughout her lifetime.

“Is there any particular team you’d be especially excited to play for, Nicole?” he asked.

She pushed some potatoes around her plate as she thought it over. “I’d really love to play for the Minnesota Lynx,” Nicole finally said.

The answer surprised Waverly, but she realized she’d never actually asked Nicole who she wanted to play for after her collegiate career ended.

“Brrr, you’ll freeze your buns off in Minnesota, honey,” Gertrude said, earning a laugh from Nicole.

“You’re right about that, but Coach Reeve is legendary and one of the winningest coaches in the league. I’d love to play for her if I got the chance.”

Diane sighed loudly, drawing everyone’s attention back to her. “Honestly, I don’t know what it is about young women today wanting to have these short-lived careers, traveling all over the country with no predictability or place to call home. How do you expect to find a husband who will tolerate that sort of lifestyle?”

Diane directed the question at her daughter, but Waverly felt Nicole’s hand ball into a fist in her lap.

“I know you remember that I’m bisexual Mom, so the fact that you continue to be in denial of that fact is extremely aggravating and frankly, insulting,” Waverly ground out, her jaw clenching in anger.

“Oh come now, Waverly,” Diane said, waving her hand dismissively, “I thought you had put that experiment behind you after Rosalie or Rose or whatever her name was.”

“Diane, please,” Rick said, raising his voice slightly and leveling a glance at his wife.

Waverly’s fork clattered loudly as she dropped it on her plate and pushed her chair back from the table.

“You know what, I’ve lost my appetite. I have a headache, and I think I’ll go to bed early,” Waverly said.

She walked around the table and kissed her father on the cheek. “Night, Dad, love you.”

“Love you too, honey,” he said, patting Waverly’s hand where it rested on his shoulder. “We’ll see you in the morning before you head out.”

“Night Grandma.” Waverly placed a kiss on her grandmother’s cheek and turned to leave the dining room before remembering Nicole was still sitting at the table with her family. Waverly turned back to figure out what to say to her but was spared the trouble as Nicole also rose from her seat.

“You know, I’m pretty tired myself so I think I’ll call it an early night, too. Thank you for the lovely dinner and your hospitality, everything was delicious,” Nicole said, following Waverly out of the room and up the stairs.

****

It surprised no one that Diane had given Waverly and Nicole separate bedrooms to sleep in since Waverly had told her Nicole was one of her players, not that the situation would have been any different if Nicole had been her girlfriend. No couples were sleeping in the same room under Diane’s roof.

Waverly knew they didn’t have long before her family would start making their own way up to bed, so she pulled Nicole into her childhood bedroom while they still had a few minutes alone.

She didn’t know what exactly she needed, but Waverly knew she needed some stability, some warmth, and she wrapped her arms around Nicole and squeezed tightly as they stood in the dark room. Waverly breathed deeply, feeling Nicole’s arms tighten behind her back as she held her quietly, seeming to know exactly what Waverly needed.

Waverly slowed her breathing to match the rhythm of Nicole’s heartbeat that she could hear through her shirt, letting the hurt and anger of the past half hour melt out of her body. Nicole rubbed gentle circles into her back with her palm, spreading warmth along Waverly’s skin and easing the tension from her shoulders.

“Are you ok?” Nicole finally asked, the words a whisper that tickled the hair at Waverly’s ear.

Waverly gave Nicole a final squeeze and stepped back with a sigh.

“I’m fine,” she said quietly. “I’m just sorry you had to witness that. I’m sorry I brought you here, I should have known she’d be like this.” Waverly shook her head a few times. “She’s always like this, yet I always let it surprise me.”

“Hey, look at me.” Nicole grabbed one of Waverly’s hands and waited for her to meet her eyes. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. I’m sorry you have ever had to endure being treated like that, especially by your own mother. Nobody deserves that, Waves, especially someone as inherently kind and good and loving as you, do you hear me?”

Waverly stared into deep brown eyes and nodded slowly, her chest so tight with emotion she could hardly breathe.

“Nicole, I think I-“ Waverly was cut off by a soft knock on the door frame.

“Pssst, you better get Nicole to her room before your mother comes up,” Gertrude whispered. “She was right on my heels.”

Gertrude glanced at their joined hands and then back to her granddaughter with a knowing look. “Goodnight my Waverly, goodnight Nicole,” she said, then disappeared down the hall to her own room.

Waverly squeezed Nicole’s hand then dropped it. “She’s right, you better go or Diane will at best ask questions and at worst throw a fit. I’ll see you in the morning, ok?”

Nicole nodded and then walked towards the doorway, catching hold of the frame and turning back before heading out into the hall. “Was there something you wanted to tell me before Gertrude came in?” she asked.

Waverly gave her a small smile and waved the question away. “Nothing that can’t wait,” she said. “Goodnight, Nicole.”

“Night, Waves,” Nicole said, then padded down the hall towards the guest room.

Waverly waited until she heard the door click shut before closing her own door and sinking down to the floor with her back leaned against the solid wood. She put her head in her hands and sighed heavily.

_You are so beyond fucked, Waverly Earp._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PS - I know writers maybe shouldn't have favorite characters, but Gertrude is my favorite and I wish I could write her into every scene in this story. Sorry not sorry! 
> 
> PSS - I promise the next chapter will be a super fun ride and will include the following: More basketball. Hotels. Sneaky Waverly. Hilarious Wynonna. Potential sessy times (that's code for "smut" for you tag followers out there). And did I mention Top Waverly? Because I think we've all seen *that* episode in season 4 now, and if you know you know. 
> 
> <3


End file.
